


Shades of Cool

by eriklensherrific



Category: X-Men (Movieverse)
Genre: Alternate Universe - X-Men Fusion, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-06-06
Updated: 2017-12-04
Packaged: 2018-11-09 15:12:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 16
Words: 20,233
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11107179
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/eriklensherrific/pseuds/eriklensherrific
Summary: Doctor Erik Lehnsherr has been told all of his life that trying wasn't worth it; that he was doomed to fail and he might as well give up. He, now a doctor and father of two children, refuses to believe that anyone is truly hopeless.  Erik is assigned to Charles Xavier, a patient in a mental institution with severe "delusions" about himself and the world around him. Charles has been branded by most of the hospital staff as hopeless, just as Erik was once dubbed. Erik is determined to help him, but finds out a lot more about himself-(Inspired by DucksFan1050 on Wattpad's story "Bring Me Back", title inspired by "Shades of Cool" by Lana del Rey, also available on Wattpad, username @eriklensherrific)





	1. Chapter 1

Erik walked into the Washington Sanitarium, considered one of the most effective at treating the clinically insane. He had been working here for years, treating patient after patient, but he never had the challenge of working with a certain one.

"Alright, Lensherr." said Nurse Emma Frost, handing him a file. "This is Charles Xavier. Hospitalized for delusions and hearing voices. He's been in solitary confinement for assaulting guards for about two years, so this should be the first time he's worked with a real doctor since."

"Good." replied Erik. "A fresh start."

"I have to warn you though," Emma said, guiding Erik to the elevator. "He's quite a piece of work. Brilliant brain, actually. It's real shame he ended up here."

"Who admitted him?" asked Erik, looking through Charles's file a bit more.

"His stepdad, Kurt Marco. The big nuclear physicist." Emma replied.

"Damn."

"Damn is correct. A bit of advice, don't mention his family unless he mentions it first."

"I got it." Erik stepped into the elevator. He looked at the file, which had the patient's room and floor in it. He pressed the button to get to third floor below ground.

"Good luck, sugar." smiled Emma as the doors closed. "You're gonna need it."

-*-

Erik approached room sixty-two, knocking gently. "Hello?" he called.

On the bed in the far right corner sat a man, presumably Charles Xavier, tapping his fingers. His dark hair was messy and face clean shaven. He didn't look old, maybe eighteen.

"You must be the doctor. Nice to meet you," Charles stuck out his hand. "Erik."

"How'd you know my name?" asked Erik.

"I can read minds." said Charles casually. There was the delusion. "But it's on your name tag."

"Oh, right." chuckled Erik. He motioned to the table in the center of the room. "Come sit, Mr. Xavier."

"Call me Charles." he replied quickly.

"I'm just going to ask you a few questions to get to know you. Is that alright?" asked Erik.

"Perfection." muttered Charles looking out of the small window to his left.

Erik cleared his threat. "Okay, how old are you, Charles?"

"Twenty-eight. Yeah, I know I look like I'm eighteen. It's because all those guards shaved off my beard. I miss my beard, I thought it made me look cool and rugged. Like a viking. But they told me I had to look presentable and shaved it. In my sleep too! Those assholes..." Charles rambled.

"That's a shame, Charles. Beards are cool." laughed Erik. "Did you have a job? You know, before you were admitted."

"I was studying to be a professor." Charles nodded.

"A professor of what?"

"Genetics."

"Sounds very interesting. What do you like to do in your free time?"

Charles chuckled lightly. "I haven't had real free time in years, but I guess I like to read. Sometimes play tricks on people. I'm pretty good at chugging beers too, but that doesn't happen too often. I used to enjoy reading to my sister."

"What's your sister's name?"

"Raven." Charles said fondly. "She's called Raven. I miss her."

Erik smiled sympathetically. He didn't really see why Charles was considered to be the worst patient; he was a good listener and knew how to laugh at himself. He seemed completely collected.

"Do you know why your here?" asked Erik cautiously.

"Because my step-dad thinks I'm crazy." shrugged Charles. "I'm not. I don't think anyone is."

"And why is that?"

"What, why do I think I'm sane or why do I think everyone is?"

"Both."

"I'll start with the easier response. I think no one is truly completely sane, but nobody is 'crazy'. Just misunderstood. They might speak in gibberish and hear different voices in their heads but maybe that's just a different language. A different way of communication."

"That's quite smart, Charles." said Erik. Emma was right, his brain was a good one.

"But why am I not 'crazy'?" Charles gave a wry laugh. "I was put in here by my step-dad because I'm different. He was scared of me and what I could do so he put me in here. Passed it off as insanity."

"And what can you do?" asked Erik curiously.

"I told you, I read minds. And control them. You see, I'm part of a more advanced part of the human race. A mutant. For the longest time, I thought the voices in my head that screamed for hours on end were mine. Then I thought I was legitimately losing my mind. But then I realized they weren't in my head, but everybody else's."

"Is that so? Can you tell me what I'm thinking."

Charles shook his head. "No, I can't. It's the medication. The bloody medication blocks all thoughts. Sometimes it gets to loud up here." He motioned to his head. "But it's even worse when it's quiet."

"Alright," said Erik standing up from his chair. "Thanks for meeting with me, Charles."

"Leaving so soon?" asked Charles, almost sadly.

"I'm afraid so, I've got lots of paperwork to fill out. It was great to meet you."

"Ditto." Charles muttered, returning back to his bed.

-*-  
"So, how'd it go?" asked Emma, taking a bit of her sandwich.

"Good." Erik replied. "He certainly had delusions but so far I haven't really seen that immensely dangerous side everyone's talking about."

Emma laughed. "That's what every one of his doctors have said since the beginning. I told you, he has a brilliant mind but something went wrong somewhere. I'm telling you now, he's completely untreatable. A lost cause."

The words rang in Erik's ears like a funeral knell. That was something he had always been told. His upbringing was difficult, growing up in an impoverished Jewish neighborhood in Berlin with his parents and older sister. To make matters worse, his mother had died when he was only seventeen. He pretty much flunked high school at that point, many teachers branded him hopeless. But he was able to turn it around to where he was now. "I refuse to believe that anybody is hopeless. People turned their back on me, I'm not letting that happen to anybody else."

"Whatever you say, sugar." said Emma.

-*-

Erik returned home to his house, which wasn't far from work. It was small and run down, but roomy enough. His car squeakily pulled into the driveway, screeching to a halt. He gently unlocked the door, entering his home and slipping off his shoes. The lights were still on and the shabbat candles stood on the table like he had left them that morning. He made his way to his living room, plopping down on the couch and taking a deep sigh. There was a moment of silence before the pitter-patter of footsteps and the yelling of his children. Erik dragged his hands down his face.

"Tati!" yelled his daughter Wanda. (A/N: Tati means 'daddy' in yiddish ;)) "Peter's chasing me with that stupid shark toy again!". His son Peter chased after her, completely with the shark toy.

"I'm only chasing her because she stole my puma toy!" retorted Peter. The children were both eleven, but sometimes Erik wondered if they ever matured past six. "And the shark isn't stupid, it's cool and dangerous and will not hesitate to bite your face off!"

"See? He's threatening me! And I told you, I needed the puma for my science project. It's the perfect model for my puma report!" Wanda yelled again, through gritted teeth. Peter grunted and continued to chase after her, eventually catching up to her. Erik always thought that little boy would be some sort of track star someday. Winning scholarships and everything.

"Hey, hey, hey!" interjected Erik, separating the two children (who, at this point, were wrestling each other) with his hands. "Wanda, give Peter the puma back. You can use it later. Peter, stop chasing your sister before you break any furniture or any of your bones." Wanda scowled. Peter frowned. A pause. "Now!" said Erik.

"Ugh, fine. But I'll be back for that." Wanda muttered. Peter grabbed back the puma.

"Both of you, go say your prayers and sit down at the table. It's almost sunset." Erik continued, before heading to the cabinets in his kitchen. He looked to his watch. He had about ten minutes to prepare a nice shabbat dinner, pulling together anything he could. He took out his good challah, which he had been saving for quite some time, but that was about it for nice food. The rest was meat-less spaghettio's and microwavable mac 'n' cheese.

After all of the prayers were conducted, the family sat at the table in silence. Wanda scooped a spoonful of mac 'n' cheese into her mouth. "How was work today, Tati?" she asked.

"It was fine, libeling." he said. I'm not getting paid enough to support my family, but otherwise fine. he thought. "Don't speak with your mouth full."

Wanda swallowed. "Sorry."

Peter took a sip of his apple juice. "Any new patients?" he asked.

Erik nodded. "Yeah. One new one."

"I wanna hear about him." said Peter.

"I can't, doctor-patient confidentiality" sighed Erik.

"C'mon, Dad." begged Peter. "I won't tell anyone." Erik looked over to Wanda.

"Me neither." she added. Erik took a breath.

"Fine. His name is Charles and he used to be a professor. He has these delusions about the voices in his head. He believes that they belong to other people and he can read thoughts. He thinks he's a mutant." Erik explained.

"Did you disagree with him?" asked Wanda. Erik shook his head.

"No, I didn't."

"So, you believe him?"

"I never said I did."

"You never said you didn't."

There was a long pause before Wanda continued. "Do you think its real?"

"No, libeling. It isn't real."

"That would be so cool though!" laughed Peter. "I could be a superhero."

Erik raised an eyebrow. "Yeah? What would your powers be?"

"I could run. Like, really fast." Peter replied with a smug look on his face.

"You already do that." Erik chuckled.

"I know, but I'd run super fast, like faster than the speed of sound." Peter continued.

"I would blast people and stuff." said Wanda, breaking off a piece of the challah and putting it into her mouth. She turned to Peter. "I'd blast you first."

"I'd out run you." teased Peter. Erik laughed.

"What would my power be?" Erik asked.

"You'd control something. Like metal." said Peter. Erik chuckled again.

"And why is that?" he asked, taking a sip of juice.

"Because. You're a hardass." replied Peter. Erik choked on his juice while Wanda snickered to herself.

"Peter! Language!" he only half scolded. He pursed his lips together to suppress his laughter. "Who taught you that?"

"Scott Summers from math class." 

"Tell this Summers boy to leave you alone. And to stop teaching you obscenities."

"Ugh, I wish they'd leave each other alone." groaned Wanda. "Always talking and laughing when I'm trying to focus." She turned to Peter. "He's the reason why you got an F on the test."

"You got an F, Peter?"

Peter nodded, looking embarrassed. "Why didn't you tell me?" asked Erik.

"Because. Wanda got an A, and I don't like being considered the dumb one. It's not my fault I get distracted." he said sadly.

"You're not dumb, Peter. You're brain just moves faster than everyone else's." Erik reassured him. He looked at the time. "Güte, look at the time! You two need to go to bed."

"But it's only ten fifteen!" whined Wanda.

"Well once you're done with your evening prayers and getting ready, it'll be ten forty-five. Now go!" he encouraged them. The twins rolled their eyes.

"Laila Tov, Tati." they both said in unison, going off to do what they were told.

"Laila Tov, libelinge." he replied, patting both of them on the head.

Erik knew he had to work tomorrow so eventually, after the same routine, he made his way to his bed. He sighed as he payed down. He loved his children, absolutely adored them. But they were exhausting. And expensive. What he wouldn't give for cash compensation and a bigger house. But he couldn't control that, his job did.


	2. slow and steady

Erik woke up to the sound of his alarm clock buzzing. He groaned softly, he hated getting up early. But he had he long shift today, even if it was Saturday. He hated working during shabbat, but someone needed to support this family. The photo of his late wife stood on his nightstand. He remembered her like she was still there.

"I'm afraid it's terminal." said the doctor to Erik's wife, Magda. A very pregnant Magda. Her eyes filled with tears and her lower lip quivered. "An emergency c-section will be performed tomorrow. I'm sorry."

Erik rubbed his wife's back gently, while she stroked her stomach. After years and years of trying for children and having miscarriages and sickness, the couple finally thought that they'd be able to be like abnormal family; children, home, white picket fence. That was their dream when they came to America. But it was squashed by cancer.

"We'll be parents tomorrow." Magda smiled softly. At least they had that.

"That's true. The genders are still a surprise."

"Of course. I think it's a boy and a girl."

"I think it's two boys." replied Erik quietly.

"It doesn't matter." said Magda. "Of they're born healthy, I'll die happy."

"Don't say that." shot Erik. "They will be healthy and you will survive. I can feel it."

"I love you."

"I love you too."

The twins were born healthy. Magda was right, it was a boy and a girl. They had named them Peter and Wanda. And Erik would see to it that they would be the happiest kids on Earth.

Magda's condition fluctuated. For a while, the chemo worked. For six years, her tumors slowly disappeared. But they all came back in full force right after the twins' seventh birthday. At this point, they all practically lived in the hospital.

"Erik, come here." Magda whispered. She was frail and her skin was translucent. All hair was gone from here head.

"What is it?"

"I've had a good run. Survived much longer than the doctors said." she began.

"Stop talking like that. You'll be okay." Erik's cheeks began to dampen with tears.

"No, darling. I won't. Promise me you'll look after them, no matter what." she said hoarsely.

"Magda—"

"Promise me, Erik."

"I promise."

"Bring them to me. I want to say goodbye." she whispered, lightly squeezing Erik's hand with any strength she had left.

"Peter! Wanda!" Erik called out. "Come here."

"Yes, Tati?" they asked.

"Mami wants to speak with you."

"Okay." they approached their mother, who's body was sprawled out on the hospital bed.

"My darlings, how much you've grown." she managed. The twins laughed, telling her how they weren't babies anymore. "You'll always be my babies. Always. Now listen to me. I don't want either of you giving your father any trouble. Tati tries his best and sometimes he'll be tired and sad. I need you to behave and be nice. Don't fight. Work hard. I love you two so much." she croaked.

"We love you too, mami."

The monitor began to beep quicker. Erik rushed his children out of the room, both of which were reduced to tears, yelling for their mother. Asking for her to wake up.

Erik squeezed her hand as she slipped away. She looked at him. "Protect them for me." she whispered. Her eyes shut. The monitor flat-lined.

Erik snapped out of his memories when he checked the time. He had ten minutes to get to work and rushed out of his house in his work attire and with his briefcase.

-*-  
"You're working with Xavier today." Emma told him as he entered the elevator. He nodded in compliance and pressed the button to the third floor below ground.

Charles sat in his room at the table with a chess set. Erik knocked on the door.

"Finally, a chess partner!" Charles exclaimed.

"Mr. Xavier," Erik began.

"Didn't I say to call me Charles. Mr. Xavier was my dad."

"Alright, Charles. Why do you like chess?"

"Because I'm good at it. My sister and I used to play it a lot. I'd win most of the time. You know, 'cause of my telepathy." Charles rambled. Erik sighed.

Charles moved one of his pieces forward. "I can tell you don't believe me. That you think I'm off my rocker."

"I don't think you're insane, Charles. But you're right, I don't." Erik said bluntly.

"I can't blame you." he moved another piece forward. "My old nurse, Moira, believed me eventually. But she made the mistake of telling the faculty and they fired her. We were in love, but she went off and got married to some bloke from the government. Last name MacTaggert, or something."

"CIA Agent Moira MacTaggert?" asked Erik. "She was your doctor?"

"Nurse. She was my nurse. How do you know her?" Charles took out one of Erik's pieces, to which Erik responded by taking out one of Charles's.

"Everyone does. She's a famous agent now." Erik replied.

"When they fired her, I got in a fight with the guards. Moira would hide my medicine so I didn't have to suppress my powers, so I was completely clean. I used my telepathy a bit too much. That's why I got thrown into solitary." Charles continued, moving his knight to a space.

"I'm guessing Mr. Shaw doesn't really like 'mutants' then?" asked Erik. Charles shook his head.

"Mr. Shaw is a mutant. He just doesn't want me to reveal anything. He wants to take over the world with an army, and he wants to do it secretly. Anybody who opposed him? Well-" he made a whirling sound while moving his finger across his neck.

"And who has faced the wrath of Shaw?" asked Erik, wholeheartedly believing that Charles was just pulling his leg.

"Remember Anthony Muñoz? Patients called him Darwin?" Charles frowned. He could tell Erik didn't believe him, nor that he wanted to believe him. Erik nodded.

"Well," continued Charles, ignoring Erik's skepticism. "Darwin pretended to be on Shaw's side, that way he could escape. He was protecting his friend Angel, they were going to escape together. But he double crossed him and the next morning, they found him dead in his room."

"I heard that he had a heart attack." Erik said.

"That's a lie. They overdosed him. Killed him, because he had knowledge of Shaw's plan and wanted out." Charles said through gritted teeth.

"Are there any other mutants I should know about?" asked Erik. "At least, the ones you know?"

"Of course. Firstly, there's my sister. Raven."

"Is it genetic?"

"She's adopted. She has an entirely different mutation. She can shape-shift into any person ever. Perfectly mimic their voice and their DNA samples, like finger prints and hair follicles. The only reason my step-dad hasn't sent her away is she's good at hiding. She's been in her human female form for years and Kurt has no idea. I've trained her well." he seemed proud of himself, moving a chess piece forward. "Checkmate." he muttered.

"Well, you got me. Tell me more about these mutants." Erik said. He was actually genuinely interested.

"There's my best friend, Hank McCoy. Super smart, can transform into a blue furry beast at will. He and I were working on a machine that expanded my telepathic range, so we could find more mutants. We're gonna call it Cerebro."

"Isn't that Spanish for brain?" asked Erik.

"Top marks, doctor." replied Charles. Erik grinned.

"I, um," Charles stuttered. "I like you're smile."

"Thanks."

"It reminds me of a shark."

"You know, you're not the first person to have told me that." Erik chuckled.

"Who was the first?"

"My kids." Erik said. Charles raised an eyebrow.

"Kids?" He asked, his bright blue eyes were full of curiosity.

"Yeah. I have two. Twins. They turn twelve in a few months."

"Twelve." said Charles said, leaning back into his chairs. He blinked a few times. He didn't really know why he was so shocked by the fact that Erik had children. It was plausible anyway, Erik was a grown adult. Charles looked down to Erik's left hand and his ring finger, which had a small gold wedding band wrapped around it. The little gold band shone in the sunlight, with an 'M' engraved into it. He also didn't really know why he was shocked about that either. Like he thought, Erik was a grown man with a stable job, a nice smile, nice hair, a sharp jawline...

"So, Charles," said Erik, breaking Charles out of his thoughts. "Are there any mutant staff here?"

"Oh definitely. Besides Shaw, there's the head nurse, the medical researcher, and maybe a few doctors." He said looking up to Erik.

"Emma? A mutant?" laughed Erik.

"Yeah. She's a telepath like me, but she can shift into her diamond form whenever she wants. It blocks my telepathy. Her abilities and physique are fascinating really. Her body's carbon conversion in her lungs are incredibly fast, compressing all the carbon from the carbon dioxide she exhales. Because her lungs process it faster, making her able to shift into diamond form at will." Charles explained. Erik had to admit, what he was talking about wasn't necessarily nonsense; he had scientific reason behind his delusions. Emma was right, he was extremely smart, a genius even.

"And the medical researcher? Azazel?" Erik asked.

"Teleporter. Also, he's red. That's why he wears the hazmat suit all the time."

Erik pursed his lips to suppress a laugh. "Charles, he wears that because he deals with hazardous medical waste."

"The perfect coverup. Quite literally. I already know you don't believe me, but ask him why he wears it. He'll get super defensive." Charles shot back, seeing Erik's disbelief.

"I'll have to do that." Erik chuckled. Every day for weeks he and Charles would have similar conversations, all the while he noticed more and more how passionate Charles was about mutants and his delusions. Erik still believed Charles was completely delusional, all supported by his previous scientific knowledge. Although, he did say that he no longer heard voices. To Erik, Charles was improving. Slowly, but steadily.

He entered Mr. Shaw's, the director of the facility, office. He shakily opened the door. "Sir?" he asked. He didn't know why he was so scared of him.

"Oh, hello Doctor Lensherr! Please, come in. Want some chocolate?" Shaw offered, lifting the chocolate bar to him. Erik shook his head.

"I'm okay. I'm here to talk to you about one of my patients. Charles Xavier." Erik sat down at the chair in front of Shaw's desk.

"Ah, yes. I'll say, doctor, you've made significant progress with him. He hasn't had an outburst in months thanks to you." Shaw took a bite of his chocolate.

"Thank you, Sir." replied Erik. "I was thinking, he really needs to re-adjust to speaking with people who aren't patients or doctors. I was thinking, we could give him his visitation hours back?"

"I don't see why not. We're not a prison after all. As long as there's no hitting or yelling he should be fine. I like how you slowly want to introduce him into society. He's been here for five years, two of which spent without any human contact. He's missed a lot."

"Thank you, Sir."

-*-

Erik knocked on Charles's door again the next day.

"Well it took you long enough!" chuckled Charles. "You're late."

"Thanks for that lovely greeting, Charles. Always appreciate it."

Charles smiled at him in return, stroking the stubble on his chin and licking his lips. For some reason, Erik felt his heart beat a bit faster.

"I have good news, brain boy." Erik teased.

"Brain boy?" retorted Charles, running his fingers through his hair. "That may just be the most stupid sounding nickname I have ever heard in my life."

"Fine, what would you prefer, your highness?" said Erik sarcastically.

"Professor X. That sounds super badass."

"Cheesy. Are you going to let me tell you the good news or what?"

"Fine, what is it?"

"Your behavior has great lately and you've shown so much improvement, so I got your visitation hours back."

Charles's eyes lit up again, a smile creeping on to his face. "Really?"

"Yes really. Your sister and your friend Hank are coming in an hour."

"An hour? I've got to make myself look presentable." Charles motioned to his face.

"You look fine, Charles. The beard makes you look like an rugged old wise man." Erik chuckled. "I'll come and get you in about an hour."

-*-  
Again, Erik knocked on the door.

"You don't have to knock every time." teased Charles, beaming. Erik could tell how excited he was to see his friends. Charles sat down at the table in the visitation room and waited, Erik sitting next to him. Soon, a girl with lone hair came in holding the hand of a brunette boy with glasses. Raven and Hank, Erik presumed. Charles's smile widened.

"Oh my god," he muttered pulling them both into a hug. "I've missed you two so much." Erik could hear his voice break slightly.

"We've missed you too, brother dear." joked his sister, who despite being two years younger, was a solid five inches taller. Raven and Hank sat down across from him.

"You two look old." laughed Charles.

"Well, it has been five years..." mumbled Hank, who seemed to be very shy and reserved.

"Five years? It's really been that long?" asked Charles. Raven nodded. "Bring me up to speed then, Raven. What's been goin' on?"

"I've got good news and bad news, which do you want to hear first?"

"Bad. Get it over with."

Raven sighed. "Kurt's trying to get legal ownership over the mansion and dad's inheritance."

"Ugh, that prick, always taking things that don't belong to him." growled Charles. Erik was surprised, he had never seen him angry like this. Not yet, at least.

"I know. He's already dug into the money to buy himself some big-shot lawyers and attorneys."

"That sucks, Raven." sighed Charles, squeezing her left hand gently. He felt a ring. "Hold on, why-" he began before being cut off by Raven.

"I guess you've found the good news. Hank and I are getting married!" she squealed. Charles gave a breathless laugh.

"Oh, that's wonderful! When'd you get engaged?" asked Charles, marveling at the ring on her finger.

"A year ago." said Raven softly. Charles's smile dropped.

"A year ago?" Charles raised his voice slightly. "Why didn't anyone tell me? Send me a letter?". Erik put his hand on Charles's leg, a signal he taught him that meant to calm down. Charles relaxed. "Someone had to tell me..." he whispered.

"I'm sorry, Charles, but they didn't even tell us you were out of solitary until we got the call for our meeting today!" Hank protested.

"It's not your fault." muttered Charles.

"That's not the only good news." said Raven, smiling. Charles looked up at her.

"I'm pregnant." she whispered.

Charles face twisted in a combination of shock, confusion, and happiness. "Really? You really are?" he asked, his jaw dropped. Raven nodded, looking fondly at Hank. "I'm going to be an uncle!" Charles laughed, turning to Erik while grinning. Erik smiled back. He liked seeing Charles this happy.

"Wait," Charles turn to Hank. "You had sex with my sister?!"

Hank turned a bright shade of red while Raven stifled a laugh. "Uh, well, we uh, tried, but it didn't really work at first. Turns out I have the male version of infertility." Hank stuttered. "We got a sperm donor, eventually. We checked out the guy, seemed cool. A doctor, no history of health issues. It seemed perfect.". Charles nodded.

"When's the baby due?" asked Charles.

"May." said Raven. That was in seven months.

"And the wedding?"

"June." Only a month later.

"Well congratulations again!" Charles laughed. Erik tapped him on the shoulder.

"Time's almost up, Charles." he whispered. "Wrap it up.". Charles frowned.

He bid Raven and Hank goodbye, telling them to write to him and visit as often as possible. They left soon after. Erik guided Charles back to his room, where Charles lied down on the bed on his back.

"Erik?" he asked. Erik turned to him. "Thank you. For bringing them here and allowing me visitation. It means so much to me."

"Anytime, my friend." Erik smiled. "Is it alright to call you my friend?"

Charles nodded. "It's fine. Friend."

Erik grinned. "It's getting late, I better head home. See you tomorrow, Charles."

"See you." called Charles as Erik slipped out of the room. "Thanks again." he whispered.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thank you so much to those have commented and left kudos! I'm relatively unknown here on AO3, so it really means a lot that you all enjoy my writing <3\. Expect more chapters soon ;). Without further ado, here is chapter 3.

Charles was a little embarrassed to admit that he had developed a little crush on his doctor. He cursed himself silently every time he found himself awkwardly staring at Erik or laughing at his jokes, which frankly were not even that amusing. But Charles's brain kept returning to the image of the wedding band on his Erik's fourth finger with the initial M carved into it or the fact that he had two children. Stop it, Charles thought to himself. It wouldn't work out anyway. Even if Erik was supportive, and funny, and always made sure he was happy, and very attractive...

This amount of uncontrollable feelings was new to Charles. Sure, he had really liked Moira. But this felt different, he found himself missing Erik when he was working with other patients and his heart beating like drums in a rock band when he knocked on the door (despite Charles telling him over and over that he didn't have to do that). His thoughts were once again interrupted by that familiar knock on the door.

"Hello again, my friend." Said Charles, looking up to Erik, who was a good few inches taller than him.

"Hey," replied Erik motioning to the table and chess set. "Come sit, I want to talk to you about something." Charles complied eagerly, leaning over the table slightly. "How would you feel if we got you a cell phone?" Erik started.

Charles snorted. "A cell phone?"

"Yeah, you've been doing tremendously in the program and have improved so much, and I think it's time we start to re-assimilate you back into society. We live in a digital age, so I figured this was the way to do it. I've already got an okay from Shaw, who also happens to be very impressed with you." explained Erik, moving a chess piece forward.

Charles shrugged. "Sounds cool."

"I've also heard that you're a bit, um" Erik smirked. "difficult, when I'm not around," Charles's face began to feel warm. "So now you can communicate with me when you need me or when I'm not working with you." Erik pulled a small box out of his brief case as Charles moved his pawn forward and placed it next him. Charles stared at it, astonished.

"I've only ever had one of this little flip phones," he said, lifting off the box's cover, revealing a shiny new smart phone. "And I wasn't really to great with it. I'm not what you'd call technologically adept..." He stroked the devices's silver packing. The screen lit up with a hello. Charles jumped. After about an hour of getting Charles all set up (and accidentally reseting numerous times, combined with confused yelling from Charles), Erik decided it was time to go home.

"Text me if you need me. Don't post any weird pictures online. Bye!" Erik teased, slipping out of the room. Charles smiled back at him. "Okay. Bye then." said Charles fondly, fiddling with his new device. He liked how it made buzzing sounds when he got notifications. 

-*-

It was two AM. Charles couldn't sleep. Erik told him he could text him if he needed him, and right now he needed him, so it was valid...

he opened up his phone and clicked on the little contact with Erik's name in it. 

_I'm bored._

For about two minutes there was no response, understandably so. But soon came back a buzz

 

_I told you to text if you needed me._

 

_I do need you, I'm bored. I want to ask you questions._

 

_Fine, I wasn't planning on getting too much sleep anyway. Ask away._

 

_what's your favorite color?_

 

_Magenta._

 

_hahahahaha_

 

_what's so funny????_

 

_Thats very specific_

 

_fine, what's yours?_

 

_blue. any siblings?_

 

_I have a sister who lives in Berlin still, but she and I don't talk._

 

_that sucks_

 

_not really. did you have any siblings before or after Raven?_

 

_nope. there's so much alcohol in my mother that I don't think a HUMAN baby would survive_

 

_XD_

 

_what does that mean?_

 

_It's like a laughing face._

 

_Oh. XD XD XD XD_

 

_haha. keep asking me questions, its fun._

 

_okay. why aren't you asleep?_

 

_I'm not sure. I spend too much time on the internet._

 

_looking at what, porn??_

 

_excuse me????? I am not looking at porn._

 

_Don't lie to me, Erik, I can feel it._

 

_with that telepathy of yours?_

 

_yep._

 

_if I could see you, I'd roll my eyes._

 

_oh I know. next question. you ask._

 

_okay, what do you think of children?_

 

_I really like kids actually. I'd love to teach them, maybe have a few of my own someday. I don't know with who but someday._

 

_I love my kids, but they're loud sometimes. Yet I wouldn't trade being a dad for anything. Maybe even have another one. What about marriage?_

 

_Someday._

 

_Someday._

 

_My turn. Erik, have you ever been in love?_ Part of Charles already knew the answer to this question.

 

_Yes, I did love my wife up until the day she died._ Charles's heart fell straight to his stomach. He instantly felt guilty. Yet he kept going.

 

_I'm sorry to hear that._

 

_It's ok. It's been almost six years. And you, Charles? Have you ever been in love?_

 

_No, but I've seen it. Three times._

 

_And when was that?_

 

_First when I was university. There was this couple and after every exam they would just stare at each other for the rest of the time. They didn't even have to say anything to make each other smile and laugh, like they were so close that they just understood each other. And they just seemed so absolutely enthralled by each other and whenever I found myself looking at them, I felt like I was intruding on something intimate. They're still together, even after all these years. Even have a daughter, adorable little girl named Jean. It was the way they looked at each other that I could tell they were truly in love. The way I've only dreamed of being looked at. Then it was with Raven and Hank. It's the way they're able to make fun of each other endlessly and argue but still come home to each other and be so happy and sleep in the same bed. They're there for each other, through all the breakthroughs and breakdowns, the moments of happiness like her pregnancy and the moment of sadness when they know they cannot have children together. And the last time was with you and your children. You talk about them like they're a gigantic pain in your backside but you wouldn't want to change anything about them. and you'd do anything to protect them and make them happy, even if it compromises your own happiness. You're willing to do anything for them. I am yet to feel this type of feeling, but I've seen it. I know its real. At least that this is real._

 

_That might be the most true thing I have ever heard, Charles._

 

_Thanks._

 

_You'll find someone like that someday._

 

_Someday._

 

_Shit, I still need to get the kids birthday presents._

 

_You should take them to work with you. You always tell me how curious they are of your work, so show them._

 

_I don't know if that's safe. You forget that there are patients in this institution that are mentally unstable._

 

_You know that they're all on the sixth floor below._

 

_I guess you're right. Those little weirdos are pretty curious of what goes on in here._

 

_I'm always right, Erik._

 

_Sure Charles, but its three in the morning._

 

_I know._

 

_Sleep._

 

_No._

 

_Yes. I'll see you tomorrow._

 

_Fine._

 

_Goodnight Charles._

 

_Goodnight._

 

Charles put down the deice and set it next to him. Erik listened to him. Not in the 'I'll listen to your shit just so you'll shut up' listening, but he took what he said into account. That's what friends do. Friends.

-*-

Charles awoke earlier than usual, fixing his hair and clothes to look especially nice. He wanted Erik's kids to like him. He heard the familiar knock on the door. In entered Erik, but now two children who's heads went up to Erik's waist came in behind him.

"You must be Peter and Wanda." Charles held out his hand. "Happy birthday!"

The little boy with hair like his father's shook Charles's hand. "Thanks, mister. Are you the mutant dude?" He asked. Erik shot him a warning look. Charles chuckled.

"Yep. That's me. I can read minds."

"Oh yeah?" interjected the little girl wearing a red dress. Wanda. "What's my favorite color."

"Red." replied Charles. "Specifically scarlet." Her eyes widened.

"Oh my gosh, he really can read minds! That's exactly it." she laughed.

"Ooh, me next!" said Peter, pushing his sister out of the way. "What's my favorite sport AND my favorite color?

"Running. Silver. Not gray, gray's boring but silver." Charles said. Peter gasped. 

"Mister, I think we're gonna be friends."

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


	4. quicksilver and the scarlet witch

Erik was only  _a little_ terrified to go back to Charles's room, which was where he had left his children. The children definitely liked him and begged Erik to stay there while he did other work, Charles complying. Of course, Charles's actions around the children wasn't his main concern; rather, his main concern was how the kids would act around Charles. He loved both of them to death, but dear lord, they could rip anyone apart if they tried. 

He gently knocked on the door of the room, completely expecting to see furniture askew and splashed of color all over the walls. But what awaited him was the complete opposite. Charles sat with the children, all coloring with little colored pencils, soft music playing from Charles's phone. 

"Tati!" yelled Wanda. "Professor Charles rocks." She motioned to the little drawing she had. "He's a great artist too." she continued. Charles smiled fondly. 

"Yes, he is. Wanda,  _libeling,–_ " Erik began before being cut off by his son.

"No, dad, you have to call her Scarlet Witch." said Peter, who continued coloring his drawing.

"Scarlet Witch?"

"Yep. And you have to call me Quicksilver," Peter explained, "And call Professor Charles Professor X."

"They're our superhero names." Wanda interrupted. Erik chuckled. 

"Alright, superheroes," he said kneeling down to them. "It's time to go home."

"No!" they both protested. 

"Your dad's right." sighed Charles. "As much as I'd love to begin assembling our X-Men, it's getting late and your father knows best. I'll see you two soon."

Erik smiled again. "You heard the  _Professor._ Let's go."

"See you soon, recruits." Charles saluted the twins, who, reluctantly, made their way out of the room. 

"Hey, Charles, why are you telling my kids all of this super hero stuff?" asked Erik.

Charles turned red. He could tell Erik didn't exactly approve. "They're children, let them have imaginations. Besides, they mentioned it to me."

"Just checking to make sure you know these ideas of yours are, well," said Erik cautiously. "delusions."

Charles bit his lip and whispered. "I know."

"Thanks for this, Charles." called Erik. "See you tomorrow."

"See you." mumbled Charles.

-*-

The next morning, Erik sat in the back administrative office with Emma, putting old files into new spots. 

"You know, Frost," he said. "Charles has made excellent progress."

"Charles?" she asked, taking a sip of her coffee.

"Xavier. The patient that all of you thought was hopeless?"

"Oh right," Emma rolled her eyes. "Is he still holding on to those delusions of his?"

"In a shocking turn of events, no. He actually admitted that they weren't real. Like, openly and completely on his own."

Emma raised an eyebrow. "Really? About a year ago, if someone even implied that they weren't real he would try and punch that someone in the face. Damn, Lensherr, you really did make progress."

"I think I can start talking to Mr. Shaw about release."

"I don't know, sugar," she said, looking through a cabinet. "You sure he's ready?"

"Yeah, I'm pretty sure. His sister's having a kid in like two months and getting married a month later, I'd assume he'd want to be there for that." 

"I still don't know."

"He's been here for almost what, six years now? And since his admittance, he's moved on completely from those delusions. Hasn't had a violent in two and a half years, hasn't had an emotional breakdown in over six months,-"

Emma interrupted him. "Yeah, but unless you can make him tell Mr. Shaw that he's back into reality, he's not getting out anytime soon."

"Well that's simple, all I'd have to do is schedule a meeting with Mr. Shaw and have Charles tell him!" retorted Erik.

"No, it really isn't that simple. Has he ever told you about Moira?" 

Erik nodded. "Yeah, so?"

"She thought she made progress with him too. Brought him to see Shaw, but he flipped out and tried to attack him. Yelled at him about how he was 'killing mutants' and was 'responsible' for Darwin's death. I mean, c'mon, everyone knows that Darwin's death was an accidental overdose..."

Erik frowned. "I thought they found him hanging in his room?"

"That's what I meant." said Emma quickly. "All I'm saying is, maybe your hopes are too high for this guy."

"I refuse to believe that."

-*-

Erik knocked on Charles's door, like usual. Charles instantly perked up.

"It's about time." Charles laughed. 

"My apologies for arguing to schedule your release!"

Charles's eyes widened. "R-Release?" he stammered breathlessly. Erik nodded. 

"Yes, I believe you've made incredible progress and you've been here for long enough. All you need to do is to tell Mr. Shaw what you told me yesterday, and you'll be released in a week after that." Erik explained. Charles's hopeful smile dropped.

"I can't say that to Shaw, he'll see it as a sign of weakness! Then he'll try and hurt me or my friends or my sister or-"

"Charles." Erik interrupted his state of panic. He motioned for him to take a breathe in and out and but his hand on Charles's knee like they had practiced. 

"He's not going to do any of that, Charles." he reassured him gently. Charles looked up at him. 

"If it means I'll get out, and I get to see Raven and my friends." Charles took a breath. "Then I'll do it."

-*-

"Erik?" asked Charles quietly as they rode in the elevator to Mr. Shaw's office.

"Hmm?" Erik hummed.

"I'm scared."

"You have nothing to be afraid of. Besides, I'm here too."

Charles took a shaky breath.

Erik knocked on Mr. Shaw's door. He opened it gently. Mr. Shaw looked up at them.

"Ah, Doctor Lensherr. Mr. Xavier." He said somewhat coldly when he saw Charles. "How may I help you?"

"Mr. Shaw, Charles has something he'd like to tell you." said Erik calmly as Charles sat down in the chair in front of Mr. Shaw's desk. "Tell him, Charles."

"Um..." Charles began. "I-I, uh,"

"Well, my boy, spit it out." said Mr. Shaw, leaning over his desk slightly. 

"My d-delusions aren't real." he muttered. "There are no such thing as m-mutants. It was all in my head. I'm all better now, see?"

"Impressive. How'd you manage to get him to say that, Doctor? He must of put up quite a fight." His tone was cold, almost mocking Charles, who sat in the chair looking close to tears.

"He said it on his own. And you don't have to talk about him like he isn't here." Erik said, noticing how Mr. Shaw was making Charles feel. "Sir." he added for good measure. 

"Hmm. Very well, if this is proof for release, you have my permission. Any more than four outbreaks, and he's back here, you understand me?" Mr. Shaw sighed.

"Understood." replied Erik. 

"Congrats, Mr. Xavier." Mr. Shaw said cooly.

"Thank you, sir." whispered Charles. 

Erik took him out of the room and began walking him back to his own little room. Charles began breathing normally again. 

"Charles, why are you so afraid of this guy?" asked Erik.

"It's a long story. Which I well tell you when I'm out." said Charles, a smile creeping up on his face. "I'm getting out." he repeated softly to himself. 

He was getting out. 


	5. Chapter 5

Charles awoke on his bed on the Thursday morning of his release. He realized the date and shot up in his bed, pacing about the room in anticipation for Erik to come knocking on his door like usual at eight twenty-four each morning. The knock came right on time. 

"You ready?" asked Erik, who peered through the door at his patient and friend. Soon to be just friend. Charles smiled.

"Never more so, my friend." Charles held a few of his personal belongings in his hands, not too many, but enough. His phone, his chess set (that could fold and retract–oh my!), a few letters from Raven, and his favorite sweater. Charles followed after Erik, who lead him out on to the main floor. Erik filled out paperwork silently while Charles sat next to him. When they were done, Erik handed Emma the papers. She looked at Charles.

"Well, Xavier," Emma's cool voice cooed. "Seems like you're finally leaving."

"Not seems, Emma, I actually am."

"I'm going to miss poking around in that h-"

"Keep it in here, Emma." Charles laughed dryly, pointing to his head. 

"Whatever you say, sugar. Happy trails."

"Bye." 

Charles stepped out onto the steps of the sanitarium, inhaling gently. The warm April air caressed his nostrils and his nose filled with the gentle aroma of lilies. He looked at the clear blue sky. He stopped for a moment to take it all in. 

"You coming?" Erik called, climbing into his car. Charles nodded and sat onto the passenger's seat. 

"Thanks for driving me, Erik." Charles buckled himself in.

"No problem." Erik started the car. "What address?"

-*-

" _This_ is your house?!" gawked Erik as he pulled into the courtyard of Xavier family mansion. Charles shifted awkwardly in his seat.

"Yeah, my dad left it to Raven and I. She lives with Hank now."

"Why wouldn't they just live here?"

"Because of a certain pain in the ass called Cain Marko, whom I've been praying is not home." Charles grumbled, showing his disdain for this Cain Marko. 

"I'm guessing you don't like this guy?" Erik joked.

"What gave it away?" the sarcasm poured off of Charles's voice. "My step-brother and I don't really get along."

"Well good luck, my friend. I'll be waiting out here until I see you go inside." Erik sighed, sitting back into his seat.

  _Aw, that's nice. He cares about me! He- Wait! Shut up Charles,_ Charles scolded himself. 

Charles approached the door of his house, jiggling the doorknob. It was locked, which was odd considering nobody showed up and they hadn't bothered to lock it for fifteen years. So, Charles awkwardly knocked on the door of his own house. His step-brother opened the door.

Cain scowled. "Oh. You. I see they've let you out of the nut house."

Charles rolled his eyes. "You see correctly. Now if you'll kindly let me into my  _own_ house-" he muttered.

"Not so fast," Cain shot back, stopping Charles from entering through the doors. "Technically I own this place now. And you're trespassing, so leave."

"Are you kidding me? That makes no sense, let me in-"

"No, you heard me, freak. Now leave, or I'll call the cops and make you leave. Is that what you want?"

Charles took a breath to regain his composure and walked back to Erik's car. He explained the situation to Erik who grumbled in return. "That asshole."

"Yeah. You know any motels around here or-"

"Don't be ridiculous Charles, you can stay with me. Technically you're no longer my patient and now you're just my friend so there wouldn't be anything wrong with it." Erik insisted, starting up his car. 

_Just Friends._ Charles brushed the thought out of his head quickly. "You would do that?"

"Of course. We have room."

"You sure I won't be a bother?"

"Of course not. It'll be fine Charles, really."

"Thank you."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Short chapter, sorry XD  
> I'm very busy with my finals right now and am currently spouting out biology facts (The central nervous system involves the brain and spinal chord). More to come, expect some real Cherik in the future ;) Thanks for reading and kudos-ing!


	6. Chapter 6

Erik opened the door into his house, leading in Charles (who carried a very small rolling suitcase). Erik set down his car keys on the counter and proceeded into the kitchen. "You want anything?" he asked. Charles shook his head, checking the time. It was half past eleven.

"Alright. I have to leave soon and go back to work," Erik sighed. "if it's not too much trouble, can you pick up the kids from the bus stop? Its just up the street."

"Of course!" said Charles. "That's no problem at all."

"Awesome. I have to run, try not to break anything please." Erik teased. "Make yourself at home."

"Bye, Erik."

"See you, Charles."

Charles approached the cupboards in the kitchen, examining them. Almost all of them were completely empty. The fridge had about six eggs and a spoiled carton of milk. Charles decided to do something.

-*-

Through the beauty of taxis, Charles went to the local supermarket after withdrawing a fairly large sum of money from the nearby ATM. When he was there, he pulled together as much stuff as he could; milk, eggs, pretty much everything from the kosher section of the super market, sweets, ice cream, vegetables, drinks. As much as he could fit into his shopping cart. It cost a lot, but that didn't really matter to him, at least now Erik and his family had real food to eat and enough to go around.

Charles returned home, going into the bathroom. Taking the razor he bought, he started shaving off the stubble that was growing on his face. Taking the small trimming scissors, he cut his hair, which was getting a bit too long for his taste. Now that he actually looked presentable. It was getting closer to the time that Erik texted him, which was when the bus dropped off Peter and Wanda. Charles began making his way up the street, looking curiously at the suburban neighborhood with the small houses and neatly trimmed green lawns. When he reached the street corner, he waited patiently for the roar of the yellow bus's engine.

When the bus pulled up,  _three_ children hopped off. Not two, but three. He recognized Wanda and Peter but not the third little boy with brown hair and glasses who bounced behind them.

"Charles!" Wanda and Peter called out in unison, running up to Charles and hugging him. He heard Wanda say "What are you doing here?"

"I'm here to pick you up, of course!" he chuckled. He turned the little brown haired boy. "And what's your name?"

"I'm Scott. Scott Summers."

"Nice to meet you, Scott. Now," Charles remembered a certain something Erik had told him about this boy, "Are you the guy who's been teaching Peter swears?"

Scott turned a bright shade of red. "No." he said quickly. "Okay, yes." Scott turned to Peter. "Your dad's interrogating me already!"

Peter laughed. "Charles isn't my dad."

"Wait, you aren't?" Scott turned back to face Charles as they continued walking on the side walk. Charles shook his head.

"He's our dad's friend." interjected Wanda. Scott nodded quietly. He looked a bit familiar to Charles. When they returned back to the house, the three children sat down at the kitchen table. 

"Will you help us with our science homework?" asked Peter. "I have no clue what's going on."

"Sure. What type of science?"

"We're doing a bit on genetics." Wanda said.

"Genetics?" Charles's face lit up. "You know I'm a professor of genetics, right?"

"Really?" asked Scott. Charles nodded. "Graduated  _S_ _umma cum laude_ from Oxford."

"What does that mean?" asked Peter. Charles decided against explaining that in its entirely and began thoroughly going into genetics. More than a few times, Charles was told to stop because of how fast he was moving and how many details he spewed out. 

At around five in the afternoon, Erik re-entered his house.

"Hello, hello." he called, giving his children hugs and giving a Scott a friendly nod. "Everything okay?"

"Everything is fine. Charles helped us study!" said Peter enthusiastically.

"Did he now?" Erik walked over to the kitchen, about to open a cupboard. Charles shifted nervously, waiting for Erik to see the food he had bought. Erik opened them up and his jaw dropped. 

"Oh my-uh" He stuttered to his kids. "Go wash up,  _kinderlach."_

"Dinner time already? I don't want mac n' cheese..." grumbled Wanda. 

"No, it's something better tonight. You can stay too Scott, if you'd like."

Erik turned to Charles, who leaned awkwardly against the counter. "I hope you don't mind, I looked around the kitchen and took the liberty of going to the store. I bought everything from the kosher section, everything's nut free because of the twins' nut allergy-". Erik cut off his words with a hug. He was considerably taller than Charles and looked like he could crush him but he didn't. His hands were warm and soft and smelled of freshly washed linens. Charles found himself hugging back. He heard Erik's voice whisper 'Thank you.'

The dinner they had was lovely. Scott eventually went home, leaving Charles alone with Erik and his kids. The twins were always bickering about something, whether it was the answer to a math homework, who got to use the shower first, or who got the last bit of juice. In the end, they all decided to watch a movie on the couch. The cute little animated film played loudly, while Wanda's stomach grumbled. 

"Tati?" she asked.

Erik looked down to her. "Yes, libeling?"

"I don't feel so goo-" she began before vomiting all over her father and the couch. Charles pulled himself and Peter away from the couch. 

"Charles, can you get him to bed?" Erik pulled his daughter away from the couch and towards the bathroom. "Let's get you cleaned up."

Charles nodded and took Peter, who was already in pyjamas, into his shared bedroom.

-*-

"Charles, I don't wanna go to bed." whined Peter as Charles attempted to force him into his bed. "I'm not tired! And I'm twelve now, you don't need to tuck me in."

"Hush, Peter, its late."

"Ugh, fine." the boy groaned as he climbed under his sheets. "Can I ask you a question though?"

"Ask away."

"Do you like my dad?"

Charles's eyes widened. "Like?"

"As in do you have a crush on my dad."

"No." Charles sad far too quickly. "What makes you say that?"

"You stare it him a lot. Like you're in love."

"I do not. How do you even know what that looks like?"

"Because I've seen it. My mom would look at my dad like that. And that's how Scott looks at our friend Jean."

Charles chuckled. "Jean?"

"Jean Grey. Scott has a gigantic crush on her."

"I know her parents. We went to college together."

"Stop avoiding my question." scolded Peter.

"I-" Charles began.

"And don't lie to me."

"Fine, but you have to keep it a secret, okay?"

Peter nodded. "I promise."

"I do have a pretty large crush on your dad. it's quite annoying really, I try to focus but I just can't." Charles confessed.

"If it makes you feel any better," Peter sat up. "My dad laughs around you and jokes around you and looks at you in a way I only saw six years ago."

"Really?"

"Yeah, my dad always looks like he's undressing you with his eyes and-"

Charles, who was a bright shade of red at this point, interrupted him. "Alright! Time for bed."

"No." strung out Peter.

"Yes. Now sleep."

"'Night Charles."

"Goodnight, Peter."


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all so much for reading, leaving kudos, and commenting! Reading all your comments makes me smile :) here's another chapter, one that I've been planning pretty much since the start of the story. Hope you enjoy :)

Charles came back into the living room to see Erik scrubbing down the couch. Erik looked up, half smiling.

"I guess the couch is kind of unavailable now..." Erik said, taking off his gloves. "You can take my bed, I can sleep on the floor."

"There is no way I'm letting you sleep on the floor after you let me stay here. I'm not kicking you out of your  _own_ bed in your  _own_ house. I'll sleep on the floor." Charles retorted.

"Charles, you bought enough food for my family for at least a week. It's no problem at all. Besides, you're my guest. If my mother would hear this, she'd respond with a quick slap on the wrist and a _'Be nice to your guests, schlimazel!'_ " Erik imitated his mother's German-Yiddish accent. Charles chuckled. 

"There is still no way I'm kicking you out of your bed."

"Fine. What side of the bed do you sleep on?"

"Right."

"That's good, I sleep on the left. We can share." 

Charles tried not to look too excited, but he gladly agreed to this arrangement. One they were both ready to go to sleep, they climbed under the covers of Erik's crappy spring mattress. 

"Thanks for everything you've done today, Charles." Erik turned to Charles in the bed.

"It wasn't any trouble at all. Your kids are lovely."

"Thanks. It's just hard to have them feel like they have an invested father when all I do is work. I'm glad you made them feel that today."

"What?"

"Wanda said you acted very much like a father."

"Oh." Charles shifted in his place. 

"It's not a bad thing, you're actually quite good at it."

"I tried my best."

There was an awkward silence mostly made up of the two staring at each other before interrupted by sort of an odd question from Erik. "Why do you sleep on the right side?"

Charles laughed. "That's a dumb question."

"Answer the dumb question."

"Because I'm always right." Charles joked.

"See? You're even making dad jokes."

"Next thing you know I'll be going bald."

"Oh, don't even joke about that..." Erik's fingers went to a spot behind his head. "It's getting late, we should sleep."

"Goodnight, Erik." 

"Goodnight, Charles."

-*-

The daily routine was relatively the same for a while; Wanda had the stomach flu, so Charles stayed home and took care of her while Erik was at work and Peter was (very reluctantly) at school. Around the end of April, when Wanda's flu went away and Charles had been living with Erik for about a few weeks, Charles got a phone call from a new number. Granted, Erik was the only one in his contacts, but still he didn't know who was calling him. He picked up the phone to Raven, who called inviting him over for a bit. She gave him an address and so the next day Erik drove his new roommate (and bedmate) to Raven and Hank's small little apartment. 

Charles and Erik walked in the hallway leading up to the apartment that his sister occupied. 

"When is Raven due again?" asked Erik.

"Next week, I think." replied Charles.

"Pro-tip for pregnant ladies," Erik turned to Charles. "Do what they say. Always. And whenever they complain, don't try and fix it, just say 'Damn, that sucks'."

"Noted." Charles knocked on the dark wooden door and within a few seconds, a very pregnant Raven opened the door.

"Charles!" she said, pulling her brother into a hug (a very awkward hug considering she had to lean over her own stomach). "Doctor man. What's up?" she turned to Erik. He shrugged. 

"Well, come in!" she called, waddling her way to the kitchen table. "Sit."

"How's pregnant life, sister dear?" Charles sat down on the small wooden chair, legs crossed.

"Oh my god." Raven breathed. "I know I'm bringing life into the world and all that, but I am so damn hungry all the time!"

Charles raised an eyebrow. "Really?"

"Yeah. The first trimester sucked because I threw up a lot, the second trimester sucked because I was always pissing myself, but this one sucks because no matter how much I eat, I'm never full. Like, every five minutes, I want doritos, I want cake, I want ice-cream, I want pickles, I want brownies-" Raven stopped herself and looked to Charles. "Charles, will you make me brownies?"

"Raven, you know I can't bake."

"Ugh, fine. You!" she pointed at Erik. "Pretty doctor boy! Can you make brownies?"

Erik paused for a second. Charles cut in. "No, but he makes excellent kugel."

"Oh, my god. I don't even know what that is but I want it." she growled. 

"It's like spaghetti that sweet and-" Erik began before Raven forced him into her kitchen. 

"Sorry, Charles. My due date is coming up and I'm so stressed and Hank literally cannot figure out how to build a fucking crib." she complained.

"Damn." Charles followed Erik's instructions. "That sucks."

"It does. I feel like I'm about to explode. But at the same time, I can't wait to get this little guy out of me."

Charles's face lit up. "You know the sex?"

Raven shook her head. "No, but I have a feeling its a boy. Is that feeling correct?"

"I believe so." Charles said, a smile creeping across his lips. Erik finished his little kugel eventually and placed it in the oven.

"Should be about twenty minutes." Erik announced, sitting back down in his chair next to Charles. Charles couldn't help but to stare. Raven noticed.

"Uh, Charles? Earth to Charles?" She interrupted Charles's stare. "Can I speak with you? In private?"

Charles nodded and followed her into her small bedroom.

"What's the deal with you and McDreamy over there?" She asked, hands folded over her chest.

"What?" Charles was confused.

"Cut the crap, Charles, you're pining after this guy so hard."

"I am not."

"You know I can you read you like a book, brother dear," She sighed. "You look like a lovesick puppy."

"I do not."

"And to be perfectly honest, so does shark man."

"Will you call him by his name? His name is Erik." Charles let out an exasperated sigh.

"No, but you chose well. He's an actual adonis. And lucky for you, he stares at you like that too." She chuckled.

"Not that I've seen..." Charles said, a bit discouraged.

"Obviously. No idiot is going to stare their little crush dead in the eye, they're going to stare at them when they're not looking."

"So what if I do?" Charles was getting frustrated. Talking about it seemed difficult, as he didn't know if Erik reciprocated those feelings. "It wouldn't be a big deal or anything," a pause, "would it?"

"It wouldn't change a thing. We still love you, Charles. No matter what."

"Thanks, Raven."

Charles and Erik left the apartment about an hour later, after Erik was forced to help Hank with the crib while Raven aggressively ate kugel. Both men found times to look at each other, even if it was for a second.   


	8. Chapter 8

Often times, Erik had a reoccurring nightmare. This one never changed, and really he hadn't dreamt anything else in a while. Of course, it was the same every time. All of Erik's worst fears, wrapped up into what felt like a few minutes. It always started with Magda and the monitor flat-lining over and over again. That fear had already become a reality. Then it would get worse, he would see his own children taken away from him or worse — _killed_ in front of him. Then that would repeat over and over, each time they were killed differently. But this specific dream was new (and not the good kind). In addition to his children being taken away from him, someone else was grouped in, none other than his roommate—and best friend— Charles Xavier. That got to him that evening, when he woke up covered in clammy sweat and Charles shaking him awake.

"Erik?" whispered Charles, his bright blue eyes filled with worry. "Nightmare?"

Erik nodded gently taking a gulp of air. He needed a second to adjust.  _I'm fine. The kid's are fine. Charles is fine._ He thought to himself. "How'd you know?"

Charles blinked quickly "Body language."

"I'm sorry if I woke you up."

"No, it's fine, I couldn't really sleep anyway."

"Why is that?" Erik was now laying on his back on the bed, parallel to Charles.

"Headaches." muttered Charles, massaging his temples. Erik gave him a confused look and heard his voice ask 'Headaches?'

"Do tell, my friend." Erik turned on his side to face Charles.

"That stupid medicine. As awful as it was, at least it made the migraines go away. And the nightmares." Charles winced as a sharp pain pointed at his temples. 

"You need painkillers?" Erik asked, getting concerned.

"No, no. It'll pass. I just need to let it go for a bit." Charles replied shakily.

"Okay. Why'd they put you on those meds anyway? I mean, the delusions were a part of it but that's only one symptom. Otherwise, it would have been wrongly prescribed."

"I entered the sanitarium a different man. My head could get," Charles paused. "out of control. So to speak. Shaw didn't really like when I got like that, so that's when the meds came in."

"That's awful." Erik sighed.

"You should sleep." said Charles, but he knew that wouldn't work.

"I can't. I don't want to."

"Alright. You can just stay up with me."

"I'd like that." Erik moved himself a bit closer to Charles. 

"I can still read minds, you know." Charles said, almost jokingly. Almost.

"Can you?" Erik knew that Charles would talk about the delusions eventually. No recovery is easy, simple, or fast. So he decided to humor him.

"Yeah. But I'm not going to." Charles breathed.

"Why not?"

"Because. Your head is dark. And scary, and full of pain that I'm not strong enough to experience right now." 

"I'm sorry about that." 

"You shouldn't be. Your thoughts are loud, but you guard them well. Well, at least the sad ones."

"And the not so sad ones?" Erik asked, smiling lightly.

"Louder. I like those better." 

"Good. Give me an example."

"That would be an invasion of privacy and-" Charles began before getting cut off.

"I don't care. Anything to get those dreams out of my head. Amuse me, my friend." Erik interrupted.

"Alright, be prepared to be embarrassed." Charles warned. "First things first— your favorite color is fuchsia." 

Erik let out a laugh. He had only ever told Wanda about that. Charles must've learned from her. 

"You played the accordion as a child, you secretly like being compared to a shark, and..." Charles smirked. Erik didn't know what to say or do (except he did feel his face heat up a bit). 

Charles went red too, his hand frozen to his temple. He gulped, and Erik couldn't tell if he was containing laughter, tears, or stutters. Maybe all of the above. 

"You," Charles tapped his bed-mate on the shoulder,", like my butt."

"I-uh, well, I can explain," Erik stuttered. Charles was telling the truth. Erik did enjoy his behind very much.

"No need, I already know my ass is amazing."

"Wow, I've never seen someone so modest." Erik's voice was thick with sarcasm. "But to be fair, I have the best arms."

"That is also true." Charles said. In the bright light of day, he would be mortified. But it was just him and Erik. In darkness. In bed. Shamelessly flirting with each other.

"Thank you very much, I get it from lifting up boxes of spaghettios."

"Really? I thought you got it from hogging the damn covers!" Charles laughed and pulled the sheets towards himself. Unintentionally, in the process of rolling the covers onto himself, he had managed to roll Erik onto him along with the covers. Charles paused for a second. 

"Uh, I-um. Sorry." Charles whispered quickly, his face only centimeters away from Erik's. He expected Erik to move off of him, but he didn't. His body remained pressed against Charles's. Erik stared at his friend intently. He never noticed Charles's lips, how red they were... or how he was always biting them.

Erik swallowed. "This could end up very weird, me, your former doctor and-" he stopped himself. "Ah, fuck it." 

Erik acted on his impulses, which many people told him not to do most of the time, but it felt right. Erik closed the gap between him and his best friend, softly pressing his lips to Charles's. Charles returned the kiss, which Erik (to him, surprisingly) enjoyed. He kind of didn't want to stop. Correction— he  _really_ didn't want to stop. He rolled himself onto his side, pulling away. Their foreheads touched gently.

"I'm sorry, Charles, but I had to do that."

Charles laughed breathlessly. "No problem." A pause. "You want to do that again?"

Erik smiled at him. "I'm down." He chuckled quietly and pulled Charles into a kiss, who in turn brought his hand to Erik's cheek. 

-*-

The pair woke up the next morning, Charles's face buried in Erik's neck. "Let's agree not to tell the kids?" Charles whispered.

"Agreed."

Erik climbed out of bed first, much to Charles dismay. "Noooo," he drawled out. "Back to bed."

"I have to go to work, Charles."

"I'm much more fun than work."

"I know. Plus, its pretty boring without you as my patient." Erik came out of his little bathroom in his underwear. Charles licked his lips. "Keep it in your pants, Xavier."

"Ugh, fine." he groaned. "But if you ever get bored of the lady who thinks her rhubarb pie has been stolen by the mafia, ask Azazel why he wears the hazmat suit."

"I'm not expecting anything. But, I'll do it." Erik chuckled, putting on his pants.

"Keep those off, dammit." muttered Charles.

"If only." Erik said. Putting on his shirt, Erik leaned over and gave Charles another kiss, to which both pulled away very reluctantly. "Make the kids breakfast."

"Don't I always?" Charles sat up. "Have a nice day."

"See you, Charles."

-*-

Charles went through the usual routine, sending the kids off to school and such, scolding Peter very lightly for writing 'a number' as the answer to a math problem, and generally just making sure the house wasn't a mess. He got a call from Erik.

"To what do I owe the pleasure?" Charles sat down on the couch.

"The kids told you they were sleeping over friends' house tonight, right?"

"Yeah."

"Good. That gives us time to go out shopping."

Charles made a face. "Why?"

"Because, you own like four sweaters and a cardigan and one pair of pants. I'm not complaining about that part, but its kind of unsanitary."

"Alright then."

"Also, I'm coming home early."

"What'd you do?" Charles asked jokingly.

"Nothing! I got a promotion and a raise, I think we should celebrate and go out for dinner."

"That's wonderful. They don't pay you enough."

"Mmm." Erik hummed into the phone. "Shaw gave me the rest of the day off too mostly because I haven't taken a personal day since Peter got strep two years ago."

"Nice attendance record. What time are you coming home?"

"Ten minutes." 

"Do I have to be ready by then?"

"If you want. Or..."

"Or what?" Charles raised an eyebrow.

"You could get dressed with me."

Maybe a little too quickly, Charles replied. "Yep. Yes. Absolutely. Top marks." 

"Does your professor side come out when you're aroused, Charles?"

"It comes out either way, but probably. Pay attention to the road now."

"Fine. I'll see you soon."

"See you soon." Charles hung up excitedly. Was he dreaming? He was going on a date, he was shamelessly flirting, and Erik seemed to be flirting back. Erik opened the door gently after a few minutes of Charles pacing around the couch.

"Knock, knock."

"Hello."

"Hi." 

"Hey."

"Hey." This conversion would have been much easier over the phone. Just like they planned, they got dressed together. Of course, Charles wore his ugly purple sweater but Erik still stared intently at him.  _Nice ass..._ he thought.

"Thanks." Charles said. Had he said that out loud?

"Ready to go?" asked Erik, his palms a bit sweaty. Oh my god, he was like little teenage boy going out on his first date all nervous and sweaty.

"Let's go."

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hey y'all, so happy to FINALLY be writing some actual Cherik. Hope this question answered some questions. Thanks for reading, leaving kudos, and commenting!


	9. Chapter 9

Erik brought Charles straight to the mall, where they bot actual clothes instead of all of the slop Charles wore. Erik liked to call it 'grandpa clothes', which it was because most of Charles's wardrobe consisted of cardigans and sweaters. Then, they continued their outing to a nice restaurant. 

"Did you ask Azazel what I told you to?" asked Charles.

"No." Erik picked up a piece of his steak and put it in his mouth. Charles frowned.

"Why not?"

"Couldn't find him." Erik shrugged. "Or Emma. When I asked Mr. Shaw, all he told me was they were out doing 'business things'."

Charles raised an eyebrow. "I must warn you about Shaw, he's dangerous. And strong."

"The man only eats chocolate, how strong can he be?" Erik scoffed.

"I'm serious, Erik. I always have been." Charles stared at him intently. "None of the stuff about mutants was made up and-"

"Charles, we've been o-"

"We've been over this, I know. But how many times do I have to peer into your brain to get you to realize?" 

"You haven't  _actually_ done that."

"Haven't I?" Charles shot back.

"What do you know about me?" Erik couldn't look him in the eye.

"Everything." Charles responded, leaning forward and brushing his hand across his temple.

Erik was still skeptical. "Prove it." he muttered. 

Charles took a long sigh. "The things I bring up may hurt-"

"I don't care, prove me wrong." Erik sat back into his chair, arms folded across his chest.

"Fine." Charles swallowed and spewed out everything. "Your mother's name was Chaya and your father's name was Jakob, you had an older sister named Rachel. You grew up in an apartment in Berlin, 6273C Shwartz street to be exact. Your first accordion was blue and you broke it when you got angry one time. See that confused you because you never even touched that instrument but managed to make it explode. Your first kiss was your wife Magda, you met in high school and had the twins when you were only twenty, that must've been tough. But you went to medical school after being a deadbeat for three years and managed to graduate early, good job. You once saved Wanda from being hit in the head by a falling saucepan when she was eight, which you don't really know how that happened because all you did was hold out your hand."

"That's impossible." whispered Erik. He didn't know whether to laugh hysterically or cry hysterically.

"I also know that right now," Charles continued. "You find me _very_ attractive right now, thank you very much by the way."

"So when you were sent to that hospital, you were telling the truth. About the voices." Erik looked down in shame.

Charles nodded. "The voices came when I was nine. I thought I was going mad, all the whispers and shouts about everything. It wasn't until I was eleven that I realized that the voices weren't in my head, but in everyone else's."

"I'm sorry I didn't believe you."

"I didn't expect you to." Charles reached over and brushed Erik's hand. "Who would believe a patient in a mental institution..."

"And all of that about Shaw? Him being this powerful mutant?"

"All true. He wants a new age where he rules the world and will mow down anybody who gets in his way. He knew I was a mutant, nearly half of the hospital population are mutants. He kept me there because my telepathic abilities were useful to him." Charles spoke with a heavy bitterness in his voice, one that Erik only heard when he was angry.

"Didn't you say Emma was a telepath?" Erik was confused by that word but he heard Charles mention it to him earlier.

"Yes, but she couldn't reach as far as I could with my abilities. He let me out when he believed I was useless."

"Nobody is useless."

"I am aware. He wants to harness the powers of all the mutants in that hospital and wipe everyone else out." Charles whispered, wincing at the thought. 

"You're serious?"

"More than ever."

After a long pause, the two decided to leave the restaurant and head home. Erik was exhausted, his eyes fluttering shut every now then while driving. He worried he was going to drive the car off the bridge. Which is exactly what he did.

"Erik!" Charles shouted, pushing his arm against Erik's chest. In a state of panic, he brought his finger to his temple. _Raise your arm._ Erik heard. He couldn't help but do listen, swiftly whipping out his arm and spreading his fingers apart. The car, which hung about three quarters off of the bridge, stopped in its place and hovered. Erik guided it across back onto the road, the metal whining as it touched back down. Charles panted softly eyes closed. He sent out a message to everyone on that high way— _Forget what you saw._

"How did I-?" Erik stuttered, now wide awake and back driving.

"I have a lot of explaining to do when we get home." chuckled Charles.

"I-I'm so sorry, Charles. I almost drove us off of a bridge." Erik breathed, reaching over his right hand to hold Charles's. Charles squeezed Erik's hand gently. 

"We're okay now."

"We're okay."

_We're okay._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Done with finals now and school is over, so now I have time to write a lot. Here's some more fluff and some actual plot points (feat. things from the films). Enjoy!


	10. Chapter 10

Erik walked back into his home, Charles trailing off not far behind him. Erik's hands shook as he entered his kitchen, pouring himself a glass of scotch. He sat back down on his couch, hand draped over his eyes. Charles sat next him.

"How did I do that?" asked Erik quietly, his hand still grasping Charles's. "On the bridge."

"Erik, you're a mutant. You always have been." Charles eyes were full of seriousness. 

Erik scoffed. "I can't believe it..."

"I know you can't. But you used your mutation on that bridge." Charles said.

"I didn't think to. I heard you tell me to do something and I listened. How did you-?"

Charles cut him off. "That was my mutation. Apart from telepathy, I can control minds. I try not to, but I had too. I hope you didn't mind."

Erik took another sip of his scotch. "And my children? Are they, you know?" It hadn't occurred to him that if he was a mutant, his children could be.

Charles nodded. "Yes. Both of them. You wonder why Peter runs so fast-"

"That's his power? Running fast?"

"Faster than sound itself." 

"How come I've never seen it?"

"Because he doesn't know it yet. But I can feel it."

Erik hummed quietly. "Hmm. And Wanda?"

"Chaos magic." Charles sighed. "She's powerful, she just doesn't know it yet. Just like her father."

Erik looked down at Charles, who's eyes were locked onto his own. Charles leaned his head onto Erik's shoulder. "You don't have to talk about it if you don't want to. You've had a long enough day as it is."

Erik nodded, leaning his own head onto Charles's. "I'd like that."

"What do you want to do?" asked Charles. 

"You want to make out some more?"

"Yup."

-*-

Wanda and Peter, who were dropped off by their friend's parents, entered back into their house to a shock. There they were, their father and his roommate, lying next to each other on the couch with their legs entangled around each other and faces buried into each one another's necks. Wanda and Peter exchanged a look. 

"Should we wake them up?" whispered Peter.

"Are you kidding me, I'm not doing that. How awkward is that, waking up your sleeping father with his sleeping new boyfriend?" Wanda walked into her shared room, putting down her bag. Peter ran after. Then, they reentered their living room and sat across from the couch. 

"You owe me five dollars." he said, nudging his sister and motioning to Erik and Charles. "I told you they were going to get together while we were gone."

"I don't know, for all we know they could've gotten together earlier. You see the way they look at each other. The way Tati stares at Charles's butt." she whispered back.

"Let's just wake them up, I want food."

"Agreed."

The twins stood up and waited to the count of three. "HELLO?!" they yelled in unison, climbing on to Erik and Charles.

"Ah!" groaned Erik, instantly going red. Charles quickly removed himself from Erik's grasp before being jumped on by Wanda. 

"H-How was the sleepover?" Charles cleared his throat awkwardly. Wanda nodded, hugging him closely. Charles patted her head softly.

"You better've said thank you a billion times!" Erik hugged peter, who tried his best (and failed) to escape. 

"We did, we did, Dad." laughed Peter. Erik tried his best to pretend he didn't just wakeup from cuddling his roommate...

"How was your day without us?" Wanda turned to her father.

"Empty without you two, _liebling_." Erik replied scratching his head. "I'm uh, going to go make breakfast, alright? Yeah, I'll go do that." Erik got up as quickly as possible and made breakfast.

As everyone sat at the table, Charles drank his cup of coffee. He slowly looked around while taking a long sip. 

"So," asked Wanda "How'd you sleep, Tati?"

Erik gulped. "I slept fine."

His daughter raised an eyebrow. "Was Charles comfy?" Erik's eyes went wide as Peter snickered quietly and Charles choked on his drink, all the blood rushing to his face.

Trying to roll with Wanda's (correct) accusations of Charles and him being together, Erik responded in all seriousness. "He was quite comfortable if you really must know." Wanda crossed her arms in front of her chest. 

-*-

The next few days were regular again, apart from three things. One: Charles and Erik finding times when the children weren't around to literally throw themselves at each other. Two: The kids being fully aware of this and teasing them relentlessly. Three: Raven was supposed to go into labor very soon, so Charles jumped whenever his phone rang, expecting it to be his sister screaming. Otherwise, things were regular. Erik went to work, Charles stayed home. The children went to school and Charles helped them. While Erik was at work, no matter how many times he tried to approach Azazel, the man disappeared. He ran behind a wall or ran into the bathroom and it was like he was gone. Erik was beginning to get suspicious that Charles was right about everyone in the sanitarium. After all, he had been right about himself. But life was looking up for the Lehnsherrs. In the month that Charles lived with them and the week that Charles and Erik officially got together, life was better. Even if it was just for a little while.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Short chapter, sorry :/ just a cute little filler for now ;)


	11. Chapter 11

Erik never realized how soft Charles's lips were. They reminded him of hugs. Kisses from Charles certainly started out that way—soft. In a way, they always started out like Charles was. They were welcoming and loving, like open arms or a bed after a long trip. But it was undeniable that every kiss they ever shared was nothing compared to this one. It was hungrier, faster, the kind that made Charles feel like he was going to explode. These were more like Erik. Time seemed to stop, the last time either of them checked, it was eight in the evening. Erik's arms were wrapped tightly around Charles's waist as Charles's hands found their way to Erik's face. It was intense for Charles, and sometimes he couldn't breathe, but he wasn't complaining. Erik's lips moved slowly from Charles's and traced a line of kisses around his jawline. Charles let out a chuckle, but it sounded more like a gasp. No, a moan. And it was music to Erik's ears. Charles's soft moans were interrupted by the sound of his phone.

Charles groaned, in frustration this time, reaching over to pick up the phone. "Hello?" he answered, wiping his mouth slightly. Erik looked proud of himself. Charles's eyes widened as he stood up off of the bed. He walked over to the mirror, brushing his disheveled hair back into place. "I'll be right there."

"What is it?" asked Erik, standing up as well.

"Raven's gone into labor. Can you drive?" Charles pulled on a new coat he bought with Erik the day before. 

"Yeah, of course." replied Erik, who ran out of the room, scribbled a quick note, grabbed his car keys, and ran out of the house hand in hand with Charles. Charles shifted nervously in his seat.

"Why are you nervous?" Erik tried to focus on the road this time.

"I told you a while ago Raven was a mutant, yes?" Charles asked. Erik nodded. "Well, there's a chance she could pass her mutation to her child."

"So?"

"So, people are quick to judge."

"Can't be that bad-"

"Raven, in her purest form, is blue. Of course she can control it, but we don't know if the child could." Charles fiddled with his fingers.

"Oh." Erik replied softly, approaching the hospital.

"There are four possibilities. One: the baby turns out blue but is unable to to transform. Two: the baby is a carbon copy of Raven and is both blue and can transform. Three: the baby is not blue and has Raven's transformative powers. Four: the baby is born not blue and without Raven's powers, which his highly unlikely." Charles explained. "The chance that the sperm donor is a mutant as well is small, very small. Nearly one in one billion."

"Well, what are you going to do if the baby turns out blue?" Erik pulled into the parking lot. 

"I'll have a lot of memories to wipe." Charles muttered. 

"You can do that too?" 

"Yeah. I try to avoid it. Even if the baby doesn't turn out blue, I still might need to."

"Why?"

"When Raven is stressed or tired, she loses control. She'll be in her blue form." 

"We have a long night ahead of us." Erik got out of the car locking it. Charles jogged next to him as they entered the hospital. Charles approached the front desk.

"Patient?" asked the receptionist. Charles flinched slightly, that word brought back painful memories.

"Uh, Raven Darkhølme. Maternity Ward. I'm her brother." Charles said quickly.

"Alright, room B216." the receptionist replied. Charles went along, Erik following behind him but was soon stopped by the receptionist.

"Sorry, only immediate family and the father." she said.

"He's with me." Charles pleaded. The receptionist shook her head. Charles waited for a moment before taking a long sigh. He put his finger to his temple.

"You're going to let both of us through and you're not going to tell your boss he went in, got it?" Charles said firmly. The receptionist nodded. He took Erik by the hand and walked to the room Raven was in. Erik was amazed, Charles could feel it.

"It's not a big deal, love." Charles squeezed Erik's hand as they entered the room to a very angry and tired looking Raven. Her blond hair was tied up into a bun, her baby hairs plastered to her face. She was covered in sweat, making a very angry face as she held Hank's hand (who also looked like he hadn't slept in a while. She grimaced as what Charles could tell was a contraction that came along. She exhaled loudly.

"It's about time!" she spat. 

"How are you feeling?" Charles asked.

"I feel like I'm shitting out a watermelon."

"That sounds nice."

"How far apart are the contractions?"

Hank cut it. "Ten minutes. Doctor came in about five minutes ago, said she's five centimeters dilated. We need to wait until the contractions are four minutes apart and she's ten centimeters dilated."

"It's taking forever." Raven interrupted.

"Your half way there, babe." Hank kissed his fiancée on the forehead. Raven took a long breath before turning to Erik. She frowned.

"No offense, Doctor McDreamy," she began. "but why are you here?"

"Uh-I, um," Erik stuttered.

"I brought him with me. Moral support?" Charles said. 

"Ugh, fine." groaned Raven. "But complain once and I will bash your face in."

"Okay then." Erik replied.

-*-

The birth was long and painful. For everyone involved, especially Raven. Raven screamed the whole time, squeezing Hank's hand so hard it bruised. Charles tried encouraging her through the first through pushes but the response was more yelling and a simple 'shut the fuck up'. In the end, it took eleven hours. The baby boy was born healthy, a nice weight and no known illness. He looked very much like Raven, in the sense that he was blue. He couldn't transform himself like her, but he had a tail and vanished from time to time in a puff of indigo smoke, only to return to Raven's arms. Charles did eventually have to wipe the memories of about ten nurses, putting his fingers up to their temples. He also had to calm the baby down several times to keep him from teleporting all over the room. Raven and Hank still hadn't decided on a name. Charles and Erik made their way back home.

"Sorry I dragged you along to that." said Charles as he entered Erik's home. 

"No, helping my boyfriend's sister give birth to a teleporting blue boy on a Friday night is my idea of a good time." Erik chuckled, settling into the couch with Charles by his side. Charles looked up.

"Am I your boyfriend now?" he smiled.

Erik's ears went red, like they did when he got embarrassed (Charles had noticed). "I mean, yeah, unless you don't want to be-"

"No, no, I would like to be your boyfriend." Charles said quietly, his fingers intertwined with Erik's.

"Good. Now, where were we before we left?" Erik raised an eyebrow. Charles practically shivered with excitement as he stood up, taking Erik by the hand and dragging him to his bedroom.  _Their_ bedroom.

Charles's lips were the same as they were before; soft, inviting, loving. It made Erik never want to let him go. He made his way down Charles's neck, sucking and leaving kisses along the way, forcing Charles to let out a soft groan. Marks were left all over Charles's neck.

"You possessive piece of shit." Charles breathed in between kisses.

"I like to mark what's mine."

"Well, fuck."


	12. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Doing this chapter with a bit more focus on the twins :) Enjoy!

School was officially over for the Peter and Wanda Lehnsherr. To Peter, this was the best news and he was free. To Wanda, she was bored out of her mind with out something as time consuming as school to keep her occupied. School made her feel like she was finally good at something. Wanda was never really that great at making friends—most kids seemed to be scared of her— and  generally stayed away from gatherings of people. Peter was the opposite; he made friends very quickly with his jokes and charm and he loved being around people. School wasn't really his strong suit, as his ADHD made it very difficult for him to sit still and focus. In the end, he still didn't stray from his sister, they both shared the same group of friends.

Scott Summers's parents were the definition of cool, at least to the Lehnsherr siblings. They allowed him to have any friends over whenever he wanted, both boys and girls. Scott reassured that it was because of his older brother Alex's rebellious behavior that made them give up on strict policies. So for the end of the year, Scott had his small group of friends over for a sleepover. Peter and Wanda were included amongst Jean Grey (the girl who Scott was absolutely crazy about), Ororo Munroe (the girl with the wild white hair who was drawn to thunder storms), Jubilation Lee (another girl who seemed to cause electric failure everywhere she went and was fondly called Jubilee), Logan Howlett (an angry, angsty teenage boy who had a temper), and Warren Worthington ( a rich boy who was disowned from his family and practically lived with his friends). 

Peter played on Scott's pac-man machine quietly. "Yo, Scott, when are you just going to ask out Jean?" he smirked. Scott went about as red as his glasses. 

"Dude, shut up!" hissed Scott. Peter chuckled quietly.

"It's so obvious you too like each other, just like take her to the mall or something." 

"I can't drive!" whispered Scott. "I don't want my mom to drive us, she'll embarrass me."

Peter snorted. "There is no way that your mom is embarrassing."

"You kidding me? She humiliates me whenever I'm around Jean! I can't risk that." Scott sighed. "I wish my parents were more like your dad, he's awesome."

Peter couldn't contain his laughter. "My dad? Awesome?"

"Yeah." said Scott indignantly. "He's cool."

"My dad yells at me and my sister in Yiddish, German, and Hebrew when we do things wrong. In public." said Peter. 

"That's cool though, speaking all those languages."

"It attracts to much attention!" Peter threw his hands in exasperation, partially because he died in his game and partially because they were discussing his father. 

The group of friends decided to play a friendly board game, which turned into a competitive fight to the death via colored pieces. The most angry about losing was perhaps Ororo. Her eyes seemed to get lighter and the once sunny skies outdoors had turned stormy and gray. She snapped herself out of it quickly.

"Sorry about that." she said quickly.

"Wait, you caused the storm?" asked Wanda.

Jean cut in. "Yeah. She's a mutant." Ororo looked embarrassed. "I'm sorry to say it like that Ororo, sometimes I can't help but hear things."

"Hear things?" asked Ororo. Jean nodded.

"Like, people's thoughts."

"Oh!" yelped Peter. "Charles can do that." he motioned to his sister. "Charles was right, mutants  _do_ exist! And ones like him!"

"Who's Charles?" asked Logan. That was the first time he spoke all day.

"Our dad's boyfriend." Wanda giggled. "He hasn't admitted it yet, but they're like madly in love."

"Either way," continued Jean. "mutants are real. I'm sorry I didn't tell you guys about it earlier. And I'm sorry that I just told everyone, Ororo."

Ororo smiled kindly. "It's not a big deal, people were bound to find out anyway."

"If we're making confessions about that sort of thing," said Jubilee, adjusting her jacket. "I have a mutation too."

"Show us." said Warren softly. "And I'll show you mine."

Jubilee smiled gently and went over to Peter, who was hitting a hopelessly dead gameboy, and lifted her hand to it. She let out a soft grunt as a spark came from her hand and to the electronic in an instant. The device lit up, as did Peter's face. 

"I did it, Warren. Show us."

Warren got up shyly. He took off the coat he was wearing and his sweater to reveal a set of feathery white wings.

"Dude!" said Scott. "Can you fly?"

Warren nodded. 

"That's awesome." Scott laughed. Logan stood up.

"Alright, I guess now that everyone is showing there's off," he began, lifting up a fist. He grunted as three long spikes came out of his knuckles like claws. Everyone's jaws were agape. To make matters even more weird, he lifted up his claws and scratched himself hard across the arm. Jean yelped.

"Logan, what are you doing?!" she gasped. The boy gasped softly as the wounds created by his claws closed slowly. 

"Jean?" asked Scott. "You read minds, right?"

"I don't try to." she sighed. "Mostly, my powers are telekinesis with only a little bit of telepathy." Everyone looked confused. "As in I can move things with my mind and I can read them slightly. Mostly I just hear the voices but I can't really seem to control them."

"I know the feeling." muttered Scott. 

"How?" asked Jean.

Scott took off his glasses, ones he always wore, just for a second to let out a beam of energy through his eyes, disintegrating the stack of books near him. He put them back on hastily. "That's how." he said.

"And you two?" asked Ororo, pointing to the Lehnsherr siblings. "You got any powers?"

"I don't know-" began Wanda before being cut off by Jean.

"You do. Both of you. You just haven't tried yet." she said.

Peter gulped. "I can't be a mutant like you guys, I'm well, ordinary!" 

"Wrong." replied Jean.  "Say, Peter, can you get me a soda?" Peter stood up. "Like, as fast as you can?"

Suddenly, Peter whipped to the fridge and back within a second, soda in hand. "Woah." he gasped. "I didn't know I could do that..."

"And you, Wanda," Jean continued. Wanda looked nervous. "Can you blow something up for me?"

"Blow something up? That'd be impossible unless I was given an explosive, which I doubt you have, or perhaps a gun or grenade launcher or-" Wanda rambled. 

"It is possible, just lift up your hands and do it." Jean argued.

"I can't."

"You can."

"No. I. Can't!" Yelled Wanda, blasting a ray of red light out of the palms of her hands, ripping apart the arm chair in front of her. Her hands went straight to her mouth.

"Oh, my god, Scott, I am so sorry!" she whispered.

"Nah, my parents will think I just opened my eyes in my sleep or something."

A silence.

"So we're all freaks, huh?" said Logan.

"I guess we just stick together." shrugged Jubilee.

"I guess we do."

 

 


	13. Chapter 13

"Is that a hickey, Lehnsherr?" smirked Emma, going through a bunch of files. Erik's eyes immediately widened in embarrassment. He had been wearing turtlenecks for the last few weeks, despite the weather getting warmer and warmer. Most of Charles's love bites were on his neck and covering by his black shirt, but this particular mark graced his jawline. From what Charles told him about Emma, he decided there was no point in lying to her,

"Yeah, I guess." he replied sheepishly. 

"Who's the lucky guy?" she cooed. Erik looked up at her. Did she know it was Charles? 

"Uh, just a guy." Erik was beginning to get annoyed. He hated the invasion of his privacy.

"Elaborate." she said. "C'mon, sugar, I can tell when you're lying."

"Is that the mind reading? The invasion of personal space? Or both, perhaps?" Erik raised an eyebrow. Emma's face drained of color.

"Mind reading? That's absolutely absurd-" she began.

Erik interjected. "Is it, Frost?"

"Yes," she spat, trying to get to the door of the office. "You sound just like that psycho Charles."

"He's  _not_ a psycho _."_ Erik's voice was cold, dark, and quite frankly terrifying. The door Emma attempted to go to swung shut and locked. "Tell me what's going on, Frost. Tell me what kind of sick, twisted operation Shaw is running here where he experiments and tortures mutants."

Emma glared at her coworker, her eyes glinting like ice. She slowly turned into the diamond form Charles had described. She squinted carefully, making Erik wince in pain. Instinctively, he held out his hand, causing the metal bars on the office walls to wrap around her arms, legs and neck. The metal around her neck tightened. "Tell me. Now."

Emma sighed. "We're going to war, sweetie. We just want to make sure our army is ready to take on the world and we're willing to test them, by any means necessary." 

"War?" Erik asked. "Against who?"

"The humans." she replied. "You know they'll never accept us. Might as well show them what we can do, show them that we are the future."

Erik was silent, focusing his energy on tightening the metal around Emma's neck. Faint cracks appeared around her throat. 

"Join us, Erik." she choked. 

"Join you? Why the hell would I do that?" 

"Because we are the next stage of human evolution. If you are not with us, then by definition, you are against us. You sure you're fighting on the right side?"  she whispered. Erik loosened his grip around her neck and began leaving the room.

Emma transformed back into her usual blonde self. She gasped for breathe. "Where are you going?'

"Home." Erik replied. "Tell Shaw I took a sick day." 

Erik sped home, probably breaking a few laws. He dropped himself on the couch, face in his hands. What was he supposed to tell Charles? Wait, where was Charles? Panic set it as Erik frantically called out in his house.  _Oh god, they've taken him. They took him away from me._ his mind raced. His eyes went to a small note. 

_Went to go pick up the kids from Scott's house, have to go grocery shopping. Will be back in a few hours. Love, Charles._

Erik took a breathe of relief. Then his heart and mind began to race again. Charles signed the note love. It was pretty obvious how he and Charles felt about each other, and even in a month and half of dating they had never really said those three words of 'I love you'. Perhaps Erik was thinking into it too much. Perhaps he did love Charles. He hadn't felt this way about anyone, not even Magda. 

" _Sheisse."_ swore Erik. "I'm in love with him."

-*-

Charles knocked on the door of the Summers household with no reply. He could here the children's minds, racing and running without stopping. He let himself in. He could here more voices coming from the basement, so he entered the dark room. It was quiet and completely without light. He could here faint whispering from children. Suddenly, the lights shot on revealing a row of very hostile children. Charles could make out Peter's Pink Floyd t-shirt as he sped from one side of the room to the other. Wanda held what looked like a little ball of red fire about an inch above her palm. Jean's eyes were focused, lifting about eight plastic butter knives in a very threatening position. Scott lowered his glasses. Logan's claws emerged quickly, sending a shiver down Charles's spine. Currents of electricity moved quickly from Jubilee's hands. Ororo's eyes turned a bright white, causing thunder outside. Once she saw Charles, Wanda's face softened. 

"Relax guys, it's just Charles." she laughed. Everyone dropped their offense and Peter sat down on the couch. 

"Dear lord, did a tornado hit this room?" chuckled Charles looking at the practically destroyed and partially singed room. 

"No, Scott dropped his glasses after monopoly." said Jean, the plastic knives dropping by her side. "Is this that telepath dude your dad's dating?" 

Charles went red. "Yeah, I am."

"Anyway," Charles said. "Lehnsherr siblings! I need to take you home."

"No!" whined Peter. He ran within the blink of an eye up to Charles grabbing his sister too. "Driving takes too long. I can run." he put his hands behind his sister's and Charles's necks.

"What are you doing, Peter?" asked Charles.

"Holding your necks so you don't get whiplash."

"What?"

"Whip. Laaaash." Peter drawled out.

"We have a car for a reason, kiddo." Charles replied. 

"Ugh, fine." groaned Peter. He and Wanda bid their friends goodbye and ran up the stairs to claim the front seat of the car. 

 _You're not going to tell anyone about us, our mutations, right?_ Jean's voice echoed in Charles's head.

_Never._

"Are you sure you could even outrun a car?" asked Charles once the kids got to the car, with Peter in the front seat.

"Yeah, totally. I outran a train last night!" Peter replied proudly. Charles choked on air.

"You  _what?!_ " he gasped.

"I took everyone to the station last night when we got bored and I raced a train." the boy replied casually.

"I told him not to!" said Wanda from the back seat. Charles began driving home. 

"You could've gotten yourself killed, Peter." Charles scolded. "Don't you ever do that again."

Peter scoffed. "You sound like Dad."

"You're lucky I won't tell him, or he'd have your butt mounted over the fireplace." 

"Whatever you say, Dad." said Peter. Charles gulped. Erik's son had called him 'Dad'. He was a dad. That one word made all of Charles's worry about Peter's bad decision-making melt away into nothingness.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> finally back from Cape Cod, meaning I can now write so much more! hope you enjoyed kiddos, this'll get interesting soon ;)


	14. Chapter 14

Charles didn't need to read Erik's mind to know something was wrong. When he returned home from dropping the kids off and running errands, he saw Erik home early, sitting on their bed with a glass of whiskey in his hand. Charles frowned. Erik's eyes where sunken and had circles under them. His face was expressionless and his body sprawled out. His eyes seemed to beg him to come and sit next to him, so he obeyed. He sat next to his boyfriend, intertwining their hands.

"Long day at work?" asked Charles. Erik gulped.

"Somewhat." Erik said, barely a whisper.

"Want to tell me?" Charles leaned his head onto Erik's shoulder, who in turn leaned his head on Charles's.

"You were right." Erik laughed dryly. It wasn't a laugh of amusement, but rather disappointment. "About everything going on at the hospital."

"I told you, Emma's telepathy is dangerously annoying." Charles chuckled. "Why are you so surprised, you weren't so torn up about it when your own boyfriend told you he could read your mind."

Erik's breathe hitched. "That's because it goes deeper than just annoying telepathy. They plan to go to war, so mutants can rule supreme. Emma told it all to me."

Charles eyes, usually so full of hope and light filled with fear. "They can't do that. They simply cannot. Lives will be lost-"

"But you see how mutants are treated. Remember that one little girl, Nina? From the bronx? The one who got shot on sight for her mutation..." Erik breathed.

"What;s your point?"

"Maybe I-" Erik stopped. "We. Maybe we should take Emma up on her offer, join them. You see what happens to people like us out there!"

"Erik-" Charles began.

"I've seen the stuff that happens to mutants happen before. The last time, eleven million were lost. It is not happening again."

"Lives could be lost-"

"Collateral damage."

A silence fell upon the room, one both men wished would end very quickly.

Charles cleared his throat. "If possible, could we put the war talks aside for a moment?" Erik nodded. "Raven's wedding is on Sunday, If you want, you can bring the kids."

"Really?" Erik smiled for the first time that evening. "You think so?"

"Totally. They can squeeze in." Charles smiled, pressing a kiss to Erik's lips. 

"I-" Erik started.  _I love you too._ said Charles's voice in his head.

≈≈≈≈≈≈≈

The morning came for Raven's wedding, and the Lehnsherr household was beyond excited. All the guys in the house had gotten new formal wear; both fathers with their new suit and Peter with a new grey button down shirt to mach his newly dyed silver hair (which was done without Erik's permission at Jean's house that Friday). Wanda went out shopping with her friends the day before (also without Erik's permission) and bought herself a lovely red dress. The rush to get out of the house was both frantic and exciting. Wanda beamed in the back row.

"I'm so excited," she squealed. "I've never been to a wedding!" And I have yet to meet your sister too!"

Charles smiled to himself. "Wedding ceremonies are overrated and long, however, its the reception that's the best part. I think you'll like it. And I hope you'll like Raven too, sweetheart."

"Are there going to be any boys my age?" said Peter "I'm almost thirteen-"

"So am I!" Wanda interrupted.

"And I shouldn't have to hang out with just my sister anymore! I'm becoming a  _man_." 

Erik held back a laugh.

"It's not funny!" Peter pressed

"It kind of is..."

The rest of the car ride consisted of the twin's bickering, to the extent where Erik missed an exit and set back their arrival time about ten minutes. Charles tapped his foot anxiously, remembering Raven told him to show up at exactly 9:45 because she said that they had to discuss some final important elements of the wedding. He checked his watch about every ten seconds. Erik sent him a soothing look at a traffic light, and although it wasn't the most romantic spot out there, it still made Charles melt like every time before. When they pulled up to the house, Charles sighed. His childhood home. Obviously Cain was out of town or something. Charles had to include how she was even able to use their home of so many years as a venue to her wedding. Erik let Charles out early so he could park and Charles could make it to his meeting with Raven on time.

Though done time after time in years before, running into the Xavier Family mansion felt surreal. Everything, apart from the various wedding decorations, was the same; the same wood, the same paintings, the same smell. Charles tried his best not to think of the worse memories spent here. One of Raven's bridesmaids said she was in her bedroom. Charles smiled softly at his sister getting ready in that room. He knocked on the door when he arrived.

"Hello?" he called. "How's the bride-gah!"

Raven sat in front of her vanity, only in her underwear, putting in her earrings in. 

"Where are your clothes? P-put some clothes on, Jesus." 

Raven chuckled. "Are you going to just stand there or are you going to help me get into my dress?" Charles walked over to her bed, where long white gown lied. He zipped his sister into it, who held up her hair gently. He felt her take a breath. 

"You okay?" he asked. She nodded. 

"Actually, I need to ask you something." she said. "We lost Dad a while back. Kurt has never been a father figure to either of us, and I'm sure as hell not including him on my wedding. And I'm not getting married without someone to give me away. So, will you walk me down the aisle."

Charles felt a tear slip down across his cheek. "You really want your old fart of a brother to give you away?"

"Wouldn't want it any other way." 

"Of course." laughed Charles, still crying. He pulled his sister into a tight embrace, sniffling lightly.

"If you get snot on my dress, I will rip off your toenails one by one." she giggled. Charles pulled away slowly.

"I value my toenails." he joked.

Raven adjusted herself and started out of the room. Charles stopped her. "I've been meaning to ask, Raven, but how'd you even get to use this place? What, with Cain being his usual asshole self."

"Mom's will." she said, barely a whisper. "It was her dying wish to see one of her children get married in the house she got married in."

"You don't mean-" Charles's heart began to race.

"I do." Raven opened to door to see the familiar neat blonde curls of none other than Sharon Xavier. 

"Mum." Charles choked.


	15. Chapter 15

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everyone!  
> I am so unbelievably sorry that I haven't posted in so long :(. I was super caught up in theatre camp and now my computer broke, so I'm posting from my iPad. Hopefully I'll get more updates in soon, don't forget to leave kudos and comments :)))

 Charles eyed his mother up and down. She hadn't changed at all since the last time he saw her; hair still in prim blonde pincurls, eyes still tired from the drinking until the wee hours of the morning, dress still neatly pressed, handbag still held tightly in his hands. He felt like no time had passed since he was the gay eighteen year old boy who ran straight to university as soon as he possibly could. 

"Hello, Charles, my darling." Sharon Xavier cooed. Her voice was still as sickly sweet as he remembered. "I see they've let you out of the nut house-"

"Mother!" Raven scolded quietly before her mother shooed her off. 

Charles sighed. "You see correctly. Might I ask what you're doing here?"

"I'm a guest at my daughter's wedding, of course." 

"No," Charles said. "Why are you here?"

Sharon motioned to the bed for Charles to sit. He didn't move. She ignored him and made her way to the bed and sat down. "I'm dying, Charles."

Charles's face softened quickly before regaining its previous ridgidity. "So?"

"So," Sharon continued. "I wanted to see at least one of my beloved children get married before I go. You didn't think I would miss my baby girl get married?"

"Yes, I would, actually." Charles shot back. "If you weren't about to die, you couldnt care less. You've never cared when you where healthy, not enough to come to mine or Raven's high school graduation, or my college graduation, or my graduate school graduation, or my thesis in Oxford. You didn't even care enough to visit me while I was in a psychiatric hostpital, which you know I was wrongfully admitted. You didn't even care enough to show up to the birth of your grandchild!"

His mother frowned. "You had a child?"

Charles shook his head. "No, Raven did. If you bothered to visit every now and then or at least answer when I call you, you'd know that."

"What's the baby's name?" Sharon was now looking at her fingers, lips pursed together.

"Kurt. His name is Kurt." He answered. Sharon opened her mouth before Charles interrupted her. "And before you ask, no, they didn't name him after that shit excuse for a step dad. They wanted at least one Kurt in this world to turn out okay."

Sharon's eyes didn't shift.

"Also, Erik told me that there's this thing in Judaism where if you name a baby after a relative, the relative would die. I was hoping I'd work." He chuckled to himself. 

"Who's Erik?"

Charles took a breath. "My boyfriend. My wonderful, loving boyfriend who came here with me today with his two lovely children."

Sharon smiled softly. "Charles, I-"

"No." Charles cut her off. "I don't want to here it. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to go and walk my sister down the aisle."

With that, Charles hastily left the bedroom, slamming the door behind him. 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Short chapter, I know, but I needed a bit of a filler-ish chapter so I could get on with the plot.


	16. Chapter 16

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> oy vey haven't posted in sooooooo long   
> I'm very very sorry, but I'll try and post as often as possible now that I've adjusted to the suffering that is sophomore year  
> enjoy!

When Charles and Raven were young, they told each other everything. Charles told her how he was going to become a professor, using his mutations to help people everywhere. Raven, on the other hand, hated her mutation. She hid her natural form whenever she could, taking on the appearance of a little blonde girl at any time. She always pointed it out to Charles how he had the pretty mutation, one where no matter what he did he could pass himself off as a 'normal' human being. Raven could, but that would mean separating her focus: part of it for maintaining the facade of Raven Xavier, the little blonde girl with soft golden waves and sweet green blue eyes, and part of it to whatever else she was doing.

Only when she was alone with Charles did she become Raven Darkhölme, the girl with the deep blue skin, the black scales covering her body in ornate patterns, flaming red-orange hair that stuck to her head like glue, and the electric yellow eyes. Only then was she the girl that could transform and mimic anyone, even their voice. 

But today, the day of her wedding, Raven was herself. The most herself she could be wearing a fluffy white dress and her blonde hair up and away from her face. Her vrother took her by the arm and walked her down the aisle, paved in a white walkway. If it weren't for their mother, it would have been perfect. 

Charles gave her a kiss on the cheek. "Good luck." He whispered. She smiled and went up to the alter to take her fiancé's hands. 

The ceremony wasn't a sappy one. Sure, their vows were tear jerkers but they brought out a fair share of laughs. Stories from their relationship ranged from the time they first met to when Raven gave birth to their son. Charles smiled and laughed along happily holding on to Erik's hand. But no matter how happy Charles was, the thought of his mother sat in the back of his mind, pestering him like a fly. Every time he thought about something else, the thought of Sharon Xavier would re-appear in his head. He couldn't help but only half heartedly smile during the family photo with him, his sister, and their mother. 

But the only thing that kept Charles's mind from destroying everyone around him was Raven. He saw her truly and openly happy for the first time in a long time. She laughed and cheered and did everything a normal bride was supposed to do on her wedding day. 

Sharon was here for a reason. She did have at least one, seeing as she was dying and had to see at least one of her children get married. The other was simple; she wanted to see her grandchild. 

There was a problem with that.

The sperm donor they used was in fact a mutant too. They could tell. The little boy had inherited his mother's blue skin and scales, but something about him was different than her. A long tail stuck out as well as the ability to teleport. It was frustrating enough trying to change him only to have him teleport away, but the issue was that unlike his mother, little Kurt was unable to change his appearance. 

Sharon knew about Charles, she tormented him for it for years after his father died. His mutation scared her, and consequently made her hate him. That was a characteristic of Sharon's; she was hated things she was afraid of and was afraid of things she didn't understand. But she never knew about Raven. 

Raven was her golden child growing up. No mutation (that she knew of), no worries. Raven used this to her advantage, keeping Kurt and Sharon from hitting Charles whenever she could. Sometimes, they didn't care and hit him anyway. Sometimes, they didn't care at all and hit both of them. 

Finding out that her grandson, probably her only biological grandson as well, was a mutant would damage her. Finding out that her sweet pure blonde Raven was a mutant, now that would destroy her.

Sharon began to get impatient. She managed to snag herself a few drinks, meaning she was already in her prime stage of being awful. 

"So, Raven, dear," she slurred in their kitchen as Raven silently washed the dishes after taking off her gown. "When do I get to meet my grandson?"

Raven froze. For a brief moment, Charles saw the same fear in her eyes that she got when she was about to lose control. For a moment, Charles saw the glint of yellow in her eyes. She gulped, adjusting her robe.

"Soon, mother." she cleared her throat. "He's sleeping."

"Hasn't he been sleeping all day?" Sharon shot back, taking another sip of her drink. 

"He's very sleepy."

"Can I at least see him?" she began to make her way to the door that led to the second floor, where Kurt was in fact sleeping soundly. 

"No!" Raven practically shouted, perhaps too quickly. She cleared her throat again. "I mean, no. He's a very light sleeper."

"I'll be quiet-"

"Mother, I said no." Raven snapped.

"Welp," Sharon sighed. "That'll wake him up. Raven, sweetheart, is there something you want to tell me?"

Raven looked at Charles. He shook his head.

Don't do it, his mind pleaded.

"The truth is," Raven gave in, "You can't see him."

"Why's that? He's my grandchild."

"Well, uh, you see-" Raven stuttered she was running out of ideas. Her mind begged Charles for help, so he stepped.

"He has viral meningitis!" Charles added. 

Sharon raised an eyebrow. "Viral meningitis?"

"Mmhmm." nodded Raven. 

"Hank," began Sharon, making her way over to her son-in-law, who had been very quiet. "Your son has viral meningitis?"

Raven gave him a look. Hank nodded. "Yep. Especially bad case. Can't be in contact with anyone in the outside world without us practically bathing in disinfectant." Hank let out an awkward chuckle. 

Sharon sighed. "How long has he had it?"

"'Bout a week." said Charles. 

"Why haven't I heard of this earlier?"

"We'd rather keep it on the down low." Said Raven, putting on her best embarrassed-sad face. "We wouldn't want to worry anyone. He'll be better quite soon."

"Oh of course you wouldn't worry me, sweetie!" Sharon cooed. "Just call me when he gets better, I'll come visit then. For now, I'm so so tired."

"Of course, mother, you should go to bed." Raven offered. "We can get your old room set up."

"No, no," she slurred again. "I got a cab outside, see you tomorrow!"

With a swift slam, Sharon had left the Xavier mansion to the relief of everyone. 

"You're going to have to tell her eventually." said Erik for the first time all night. "About you and Kurt."

"Please shoot me when that day comes." replied Raven.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> High key rushed and cheesy but that's fine!!!!!!!!!  
> Don't forget to leave kudos and comments!


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